Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

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sanderz
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Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by sanderz »

saw this and thought it might be of interest here

http://io9.com/indonesian-archaeologist ... 1469664295
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dr.hal
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by dr.hal »

Thanks. Amazing find. I thought the U-Boats stayed in the Indian Ocean, but obviously not!
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HansBolter
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by HansBolter »

Weren't they also used to transport certain components of technology to the home islands?
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JocMeister
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by JocMeister »

Its even in the Swedish newspapers!

http://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/nazity ... ka-vatten/

Some pictures. Including a sad one.
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Zorch
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by Zorch »

And in German ones, of course: http://www.uboat.net/

uboat.net is a fantastic site. Too bad there isn't one like it for the pacific war (or maybe I just don't know about it).
wdolson
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by wdolson »

Just to pick nits, it irks me when I see articles like that which call it a Nazi artifact. Calling it a Nazi sub is like calling an artifact left over from the war in the Falklands as a Tory artifact rather than a British one.

That said, I suspect it was one of the U-boats involved in running material and technology between Japan and Germany. Japan was essentially buying advanced technology from the Germans in exchange for raw materials that were not found in Europe, or at least not in Central Europe. It would make sense for these subs to stop off somewhere in the SRA, though I would expect Singapore would be a better port of call. Possibly they went to more remote ports in Java so Allied intelligence wouldn't know they were there?

In any case, the materials the Germans wanted were abundant in the SRA, but getting rare in Japan, so it made sense to go to the source for them. Then it would be up to the Japanese to get the technology back to Japan.

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Nami Koshino
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by Nami Koshino »

Well, if it was the Type IX U-168 she was due to rendezvous with U-537 and U-862 at Soerabaja. From there, the wolfpack was to operate against the western coast of Australia.

Apparently, the Kriegsmarine was convinced that the sinking of U-168 was the result of "loose talk" due to the crew who brought their Indonesian girlfriends aboard for a goodbye party. Sounds like it wasn't all Das Boot grimness in the Pacific. More likely it was an Ultra that contributed to the sinking.
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Jorge_Stanbury
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by Jorge_Stanbury »

They shouldn't be taking picture or disturbing in any way those skeletons. This is a war grave, and should be treated with the greatest respect. even if they were Nazis.

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witpqs
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by witpqs »

While I fully believe in respect, I also believe in the good derived from archaeology.
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Jorge_Stanbury
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by Jorge_Stanbury »

I agree, but I am sure if some newspaper shows a skull from a sunken Gato or Balao class submarine, there would be a lot of people complaining
spence
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by spence »

A copy of the British Intel report on the interrogations of the German POWs (officers only) taken by the Dutch sub that sank the U-168:

http://www.uboatarchive.net/U-168INT.htm
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LargeSlowTarget
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RE: Torpedoed Nazi sub off the main island of Java

Post by LargeSlowTarget »

"In total, some 41 U-boats may have been involved in the region."

That number was sent from Europe, but about only half of them made it into the Indian Ocean and the other half got sunk on the way or had to abort.

Of those wo did made it, some got sunk on the return trip to Europe, a few made it back to Europe, and a few were taken over by the Japanese after Germany surrendered.

Most boats were in combat configuration, but there were also dedicated cargo runs by special transport conversions.

Don't know if there are public mods who have them included. I have them rough and dirty in my personal mod - here is U-168:



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