Translated by
	OP 20 GI-A
	9 September, 1944

(German Classification)

SECRET

War Diary

Command "U-505"

Commanding Officer: Ob. Lt. z. See Harald Lange

7th War Cruise from 25 December 1943 to ((4)) June 1944

All Squares Naval Squares

All times German Standard Time

Contains pages Nr. 1 - ((60))

As appendix copies of Radio messages page 1 - _____:*

((*TRANS. NOTE: Not included))

 

---

 

Page 1

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
	Lorient Harbor
8/11/43 to	Lorient	Refitting
20/12/43
20/12
1530	Skorff shelter berth Lorient	Cast off.
1600	SSW 1-2, sea 1, overcast,	Under escort by barrage breaker.
	rain. 1017
1745	Point "Leben"
1815		Under outer escort.
2000	BF 5533
2400	SSW 1-2, sea 1, 3/4 overcast,1015
21/12
0200	BF 5549
0213	BF 5549	Deep-diving test.
0455	BF 5548	Return begun on account of leak in flange. "Lead-in of multiple hydrophone cables. Faulty welded joint."
0800	BF 5552
	SSW 4, sea 3-4, half overcast, 1011
0905	BF 5529	Submerged.
1016	BF 5529	Surfaced.
1200	BF 5530
1425		Under inner escort.
1650	Skorff shelter berth	Made fast.
Up to
25/12	Lorient	In dockyard.
1630	Skorff shelter berth	Cast off.
1650	Lorient Harbor	Submerged for trimming test.
1711		Surfaced.
1857	Point Leben
1900		Released from inner escort.
2000	BF 6177
	WNW 2-3, sea 2, overcast, misty, 1039
2132		Message received:
		2110/25/45.

 

---

 

Page 2

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
1943	Inner Biscay
25/12
2400	BF 5546
	WNW 1-2, sea 1-2, overcast, 1039
26/12
0000	BF 5546
0009	BF 5549	Reached 200 meter line.
		Deep-diving test.
0200		Deep diving test ended.
0400	BF 5548
0610	BF 5547	Surfaced.
0625		Fire in the starboard Diesel. By 0636 fire put out with extinguishers.
0730		Submerged.
0800	BF 5468
	W 1-2, sea 1, overcast, 1039
0811		Beginning of daylight.
1200	BF 5467	Day's run 103 19
1600	BF 5459
1834		End of daylight.
1836	BF 5459	Surfaced.
2000	BF 5459
	WNW 1-2, sea 1, A quarter overcast, 1039
2059	BF 5447	Submerged.
2400	BF 4669
27/12
0000	BF 4669
0400	BF 4668
0615	BF 4668	Surfaced.
0730	BF 4658	Submerged.
0800	BF 4658
	WNW 1-2, sea 1, 3/4 overcast, 1038
0818		Beginning of daylight.
1200	BF 4655	Nautical miles: 103 19 *25 - 26/12 51 30 Total 154 49
1600	BF 4651
1828	BF 4651	Surfaced.
1845	BF 4615	End of daylight.
1948	ENE 2, sea 2-3 overcast 1036
		*Evidently 26 - 27/12 is intended.

 

---

Page 3

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
1943	Inner Biscay
28/12
0000	BF 4614
0400	BF 4536
0604	BF 4536	Surfaced.
0800	BF 4522
	ESE 3, sea 2-3, overcast, 1036
0802		Submerged.
0827		Beginning of daylight.
1035		From 1035 to 1107 7 D/C explosions heard at a considerable distance.
1200	BF 4522	Nautical miles: 154 49 27 - 28/12 44 31 Total 198 80
1400	BF 4521	From 1400 to 1610 on bearing 220° to 240° true heard artillery explosions and explosions of A/C bombs in near to medium distance (41 A/C bombs).
1836	BF 4521	Surfaced.
1848		End of daylight.
1916	BF 4513	Submerged.
1940		Message received: 1712/28/6.
2000	BF 4513
	ENE 2, sea 1-2, overcast, 1034
2004		Surfaced both Diesels 4/5 speed.
2042		Message received:
		1733/28/98.

 

---

Page 4

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
1943	Inner Biscay
28/12
2042		Continuation of message
		1733/28/98.
2048		Message received:
		2208/28/6.
2400	BF 4482
	E to N 2-3, sea 2, overcast, 1033, poor visibility
29/12
0000	BF 4482	At 0015 "Wanze" motor out of order.
0140	BF 4478	Sighted red distress signal (star signal) bearing 177° true.
0400	BF 4745	Picked up occupants of 7 life-rafts which were bound together. Among them the CO of T-25 and 28 men.
0500	BF 4745	On bearing 223° true distress signal, not repeated. Until 0545 searched without results.
0610	BF 4745	Submerged.
0800	BF 4745
0930	BF 4741	Went to periscope depth.
	E 5-6, sea 5-6, swell, low-lying nimbus under 200 meters.
0940		One flying-boat (Sunderland) at low altitude about 2000 meters. Remained unobserved.

 

---

Page 5

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
	Inner Biscay
29/12
1200	BF 4741	Nautical miles: 198 80 28 - 29/12 130 18 Total 328 98
1600	BF 4745
1838	BF 4745	Surfaced.
1845		End of daylight. Distress signals bearing 274° true.
1915 to 1930	BF 4744	Rescued 5 men from two singly-floating rafts. several distress signals sighted bearing 250° to 295° true.
1913	BF 4744	Messages received: 1527/29/21.
2000	BE 6966
	ENE 5, sea 4, overcast, misty, 1033
2010	BE 6965	Identified sighted steamer lights as those of the Irish steamer (Message 1527/29/21). Steamer looking with searchlights for survivors. Own U-boat apparently not seen.
		Since the steamer is now searching in #BE 6965, it is assumed that #6921 has already been thoroughly searched. Course altered. Running at high speed toward #BE 6932.
2215	BE 6932	Search cruise in BE 6932 and 6933. Search without results.
2243	BE 6933	Message transmitted:
		C.O. and 33 men of T-25 rescued. Returning BE 6933. Lange.
2342	BF 4714	Submerged.
2321	BE 6936	Message received:
		1107/29/18.
2400	BF 4714
	ENE 4-5, sea 4-5, overcast, misty 1033.

 

---

Page 6

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
	Inner Biscay
30/12
0000	BF 4714
0400	BF 4714
0550		2 A/C bomb explosions at medium distance.
0630	BF 4716	Surfaced.
	ENE 3-4, sea 4, overcast, 1033
0702	BF 4716	Crash dive because of searchlight bearing 265°. Distance about 800-1000 meters. Apparently A/C.
0800	BF 4724
0834		Beginning of daylight.
1200		Nautical miles: 328 98 29 - 30/12 66 26 Total 394 26
1600	BF 4725
1846	BF 4726	Surfaced.
1853		End of daylight.
1907	BF 4734	Message received:
		11736/30/48.
2000	BF 4738
	NE4, sea 3-4, overcast, 1038
2100	BF 4817	Message received:
		1258/30/38.
2120	BF 4818	Submerged.
2400	BF 4818
31/12
0000	BF 4818
0400	BF 4819
0629	BF 4827	Surfaced.
0800	BF 4829
	NNE 4, sea 3-4, overcast, 1038
0803		Submerged.
1200	BF 4834	Nautical miles: 394 124 30 - 31/12 52 31 Total 446 155

 

---

 

Page 7

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
1943	Inner Biscay
31/12
1600	BF 4835
1842	BF 4836	Surfaced.
1856	BF 4836	Crash dive. Ortung 169 cm.
2000	BF 4836	Surfaced.
2029	BF 4914	Crash dive. Light, bearing 120° true, shifting quickly 35° to the left.
	NNE 2-3, sea 2, overcast, 1037
2237	BF 4914	Surfaced.
2329	BF 4914	Submerged.
2400	BF 3913 (sic)
1944
1/1
0000	BF 4913
0400	BF 4922
0558	BF 4922	Surfaced.
0800	BF 4698
	NNE 2, sea 1, overcast, 1036
0810	BF 4899	Submerged.
0818		Beginning of daylight.
1200	BF 5477	Nautical miles: 446 155 31 - 1/1 50 31 Total 496 186
1206	BF 5477	Surfaced. (Fix)
1208		Submerged.
1600	BF 5477	Surfaced.
1838	BF 4665	Surfaced.
1845	BF 5455	Correction of plot
		316° 30 m.
1850		End of daylight.
2000	BF 5455	Submerged. 2134.
1858		Message received:
		1543/1/90
2105	BF 5454	Message transmitted:
		2105/1/97.
2400	BF 5456

 

---

 

Page 8

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
1944	Inner Biscay
*2/2/44
0000	BF 5456
0400	BF 5544
0245	BF 5464	Surfaced.
0315		Message received:
		2304/1/98.
0420	200 meter line
0811	NNW 3, sea 1, half overcast	Beginning of daylight.
0945	Point 344 (Eisbaer)	Picked up by escort.
0935		Fire in the electric motor because of inrush of water and resultant short circuit. 0945 put out with fire extinguishers.
1210	Brest outer harbor	Released from escort.
1235	Nautical miles: 496 186 Up to 2/2 155 28 Total 651 214
*Sic: evidently error for 2/1
		On board 2 Jan., 1944
		Ob. Leutnant z See U.Kmdt.

 

---

 

Page 9

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
	Brest Harbor
From 2 January to 16 March, 1944 refitting in Brest.
March
16/3
1835	Brest	Cast off.
1905	Brest roadstead	Submerged for trimming test.
1925		Surfaced.
2000		Picked up by escort.
2400	BF 5265
	SSW 2, sea 1-2, C 2. 1020
17/3
0000	BF 5265
0400	BF5278
	SSW, sea 1-2, C 4. 1022
0640		Beginning of daylight.
0800	BF 5547
0752		Submerged. Deep-diving test.
0926		Surfaced.
1025	BF 5547	Released from escort.
		Beginning of war cruise.
1135	BF 5498	Submerged.
	N 1. sea 1, 1023
1200	BF 5498	16-17/3 Nautical Miles 135 7
1600	BF 5497
1611		1 A/C bomb heard in middle distance.
2000	BF 5731
2010		End of daylight.
2257	BF 5723	Surfaced.
18/3
0000	BF 5727
	SE 2, sea 1-2, C 3, visibility good, 1023
0046		Submerged.
0400	BF 5743
0513	BF 5743	Surfaced.
	SE 2, sea 1-2, C 2, good visibility, 1024
0536	BF 5742	Submerged.
0650		Beginning of daylight.

 

---

 

Page 9

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
18/3/44	Inner Biscay
0800	BF 5745
1200	BF5744	Nautical miles carried over: 135 7 17-18/3 26 23 Total 161 30
1600	BF 4969
2000	BF 4993	2024 end of daylight
2300	BF 4992	Surfaced.
2400	BF 4994
	ESE 2-3, sea 2, C 2
	visibility good, 1025
19/3
0015	BF 4986
0400	BF 4889
	ESE 1-2, sea 1, C 2 1025
0453	BF 4989	Surfaced.
0549	BF 8111	Submerged.
0650		Beginning of daylight.
0800	BF 7333
1200	BF 7336	Nautical miles carried over: 161 30 18-19 26 33 Total 187 63
1600	BF 7338
2000	BF 7337
2030		End of daylight.
2247	BF 7353	Surfaced.
2332	BF 7352	Crash dive. Ortung "Naxos".
20/3
0000	BF 7352
	NE 2-3, sea 2, C 8
	visibility medium, strong phosphorescence. 1023
0100	BF 7354	Surfaced.
0210	BF 7349	Crash dive. Ortung "Naxos".
0311	BF 7348	Surfaced.
	NE 2-3, sea 2, 0
	visibility poor, 1029
0400	BF 7371
0454	BF 7293	Crash dive. Ortung "Naxos".
0653		Beginning of daylight.

 

---

 

Page 11

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
20/3	Inner Biscay
0800	BF 7296
1200	BF 7295	Nautical miles carried over: 187 63 19-20/3 37 31 Total 224 94
1600	BF 7297
2035		End of daylight.
2251	BF 7522	Surfaced.
2346	BF 7524	Crash dive. Ortung "Naxos".
2400	BF 7524
	ESE 4, sea 3, C 6
	visibility medium. 1023
21/3
0322	BF 7519	Surfaced.
0400	BF 7542
	ESE 4, sea 3-4, C 8.
	Visibility poor, 1020
0445	BF 7541	Submerged.
0700		Beginning of daylight.
0800	BF 7466
1200	BF 7465	Nautical miles carried over: 224 94 18-19 28 34 Total 252 128
1600	BF 7467
2000	BF 7483
2045		End of daylight.
2218	BF 7483	Surfaced.
2332	BF 7484
	ENE 3, sea 1-2, C 3
	Visibility medium 1015
0400	BF 7711
0447	BE 9936	Submerged.
0700		Beginning of daylight.
0800	BE 9938
1200	BE 9938	Nautical miles carried over: 252 128 18-19 38 33 Total 290 161

 

---

 

Page 12

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
22/3	Outer Biscay
1600	BE 9961	Propeller noises, presumably piston engines, bearing 165° true - very soft.
1900	BE 9953	Went to periscope depth, saw nothing.
1920	Sea 3	Established by diverging courses that the source of the bearing is not moving.
2234	BE 9953	Surfaced. Saw nothing. Moved off at 3/4 speed on course 300° true for 30 minutes.
2304	SE 1, sea 0, C 9
	Visibility medium 1012
23/3
0000	BE 9949
0007	BE 9949	Submerged.
0400	BE 9971
0306	BE 9949	Surfaced.
	W 1-2, Sea 0, 0
	Visibility poor. 1012
0505	BE 9896	Submerged.
0705		Beginning of daylight.
0800	BE 9899
1200	BE 9898	Nautical miles carried over: 290 161 18-19 47 33 Total 337 194
1600	CG 1221
2000	CG 1221
2218	CG 1216	Surfaced.
24/3
0000	CG 1245
	W 1-2, sea 1, B
	Visibility medium, 1018
0042	CG 1271
	SW 1, sea 0-1, b
	Visibility poor, 1020
	Strong phosphorescence
0258	CG 1193	Surfaced.
0400	CG 1198
0543		Submerged.
0710		Beginning of daylight.
0800	CG 1456

 

---

 

Page 13

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
22/3	Outer Biscay
1200	CG 1455	Nautical miles carried over: 337 194 23-24/3 72 29 Total 409 223
1600	CG 1458
2000	CG 1481
2100		End of daylight.
2240	CG 1484	Surfaced.
2400	CG 1715
	S 2, sea 1-2, C 3
	visibility medium. 1022
25/3
0149	CF 3969	Submerged.
0400	CF 3969
	S 3, sea 2, 0,
	visibility medium. 1021
0406	CF 3969	Surfaced.
0434		Message transmitted:
		0436/24/42 "My position is:
		CG 17 U-505".
0509	CF 3995	Submerged.
	S 3, sea 2, 0
	visibility poor, 1021
0715		Beginning of daylight.
1200	CF 3997	Nautical miles carried over: 409 223 24-25/3 59 30 Total 468 253
1600	CF 6323
2000	CF 6326
2226	CF 6329
	ESE 5, sea 4-5, C 5.
	visibility medium, 1024.
	Strong phosphorescence
26/3/44
0000	CF 6354
0157	CF 6376	Submerged.
0400	CF 6378
0457	CF 6612	Crash dive. Ortung "Wanze 169 dm."
	ESE 5-6, sea 4-5
	c 7, 1015

 

---

 

Page 14

	Account of Position,
	Wind, Weather, Sea,
Date	Light, Visibility of
and	the Atmosphere, Moon-
Time	light, etc.	Events
26/3	Middle Atlantic
0720		Beginning of daylight.
0800	CF 6612
1200	CF 6615	Nautical miles carried over: 468 253 25-26/3 48 29 Total 516 282
1600	CF 6618
2000	CF 6642
2257	CF 6645	Surfaced.
	SE to E 5, sea 4-5, c 2,
	1010, Visibility good
27/3
0000	CF 6672
0123	CF 6678	Submerged.
0343	CF 6912	Surfaced
0400	CF 6915
	SSW 6, sea 5-6, o/p, visibility
	medium, weak phosphorescence
0430	CF 6915	Submerged.
0720		Beginning of daylight.
0800	CF 6918
1200	CF 6942	Nautical miles carried over: 516 282 26-27/3 31 30 Total 547 312
2000	CF 6948
2105		End of daylight.
2245	CF 6948	Surfaced.
28/3
0000	CF 6978
	SW 3, sea 2-3, b, 1018, visibility good
0108	CF 9315	Submerged.
0331	CF 9318	Surfaced.
0400	CF 9342
	S 3, sea 2-3, c 2, 1016,
	visibility medium
0510		Submerged.
0717		Beginning of daylight.
0800	CF 9375