German submarine U-853

==Armament==

==Armament==

===FLAK weaponry===

===FLAK weaponry===

''U-853'' was armed with a single [[3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43|3.7 cm Flakzwilling M43U]] gun on the LM 42U mount. The LM 42U mount was the most common mount used with the 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U. The 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U was the marine version of the 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak used by the [[Kriegsmarine]] on [[Type VII]] and [[Type IX]] U-boats. ''U-853'' had two [[2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling|2cm Flak C38]] in a M 43U ''Zwilling'' mount with short folding shield mounted on the upper ''Wintergarten''.<ref>Base on war-time photographs.</ref> The M 43U mount was used on a number of U-boats ({{GS|U-190||2}}, {{GS|U-249||2}}, {{GS|U-250||2}}, {{GS|U-278||2}}, {{GS|U-337||2}}, {{GS|U-475||2}}, {{GS|U-1058||2}}, {{GS|U-1109||2}}, {{GS|U-1023||2}}, {{GS|U-1105||2}}, {{GS|U-1165||2}} and {{GS|U-1306||2}}).

''U-853'' was armed with a single [[3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43|3.7 cm Flakzwilling M43U]] gun on the LM 42U mount. The LM 42U mount was the most common mount used with the 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U. The 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak M42U was the marine version of the 3.7&nbsp;cm Flak used by the [[Kriegsmarine]] on [[Type VII]] and [[Type IX]] U-boats. ''U-853'' had two [[2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling|2cm Flak C38]] in a M 43U ''Zwilling'' mount with short folding shield mounted on the upper ''Wintergarten''.<ref>Base on war-time photographs.</ref> The M 43U mount was used on a number of U-boats ({{GS|U-190||2}}, {{GS|U-249||2}}, {{GS|U-250||2}}, {{GS|U-278||2}}, {{GS|U-337||2}}, {{GS|U-475||2}}, {{GS|U-1058||2}}, {{GS|U-1109||2}}, {{GS|U-1023||2}}, {{GS|U-1105||2}}, {{GS|U-1165||2}} and {{GS|U-1306||2}}).{{cn|date=July 2025}}

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|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=30 September 2007

|access-date=30 September 2007

}}</ref> German intelligence believed that weather conditions in the Atlantic could be used to help predict the timing of an Allied invasion of Europe.<ref>{{cite book|title=Due to Enemy Action: The True World War II Story of the USS Eagle 56|last=Puleo|first=Stephen|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-739-5|year=2005|page=16}}</ref> On 25 May 1944 ''U-853'' spotted {{RMS|Queen Mary}}, loaded with American troops and supplies. The U-boat submerged to attack, but was outrun by the much larger and faster ship.<ref name="greatest">{{cite book|title=The Greatest Submarine Stories Ever Told|last=Underwood|first=Lamar|year=2005|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-733-6|pages=184–185}}</ref> As she surfaced in ''Queen Mary's'' wake ''U-853'' was attacked by [[Fairey Swordfish]] aircraft from British [[merchant aircraft carrier]]s {{ship|MV|Ancylus}} and {{ship|MV|Empire MacKendrick}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Barque of Saviors |last=Drumm|first=Russell|year=2001|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Books|isbn=0-395-98367-3|page=9}}</ref> The U-boat took no significant damage and returned fire, hitting all three aircraft. The planes were able to return to their carrier, but after recovery one was deemed a total loss and jettisoned.

}}</ref> German intelligence believed that weather conditions in the Atlantic could be used to help predict the timing of an Allied invasion of Europe.<ref>{{cite book|title=Due to Enemy Action: The True World War II Story of the USS Eagle 56|last=Puleo|first=Stephen|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-739-5|year=2005|page=16}}</ref> On 25 May 1944 ''U-853'' spotted {{RMS|Queen Mary}}, loaded with American troops and supplies. The U-boat submerged to attack, but was outrun by the much larger and faster ship.<ref name="greatest">{{cite book|title=The Greatest Submarine Stories Ever Told|last=Underwood|first=Lamar|year=2005|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-733-6|pages=184–185}}</ref> As she surfaced in ''Queen Mary's'' wake ''U-853'' was attacked by [[Fairey Swordfish]] aircraft from British [[merchant aircraft carrier]]s {{ship|MV|Ancylus}} and {{ship|MV|Empire MacKendrick}}.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Barque of Saviors |last=Drumm|first=Russell|year=2001|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Books|isbn=0-395-98367-3|page=9}}</ref> The U-boat took no significant damage and returned fire, hitting all three aircraft. The planes were able to return to their carrier, but after recovery one was deemed a total loss and jettisoned.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The escort carrier {{USS|Croatan|CVE-14|6}} had been hunting weather boats for nearly a month and had already sunk {{GS|U-488||2}} and {{GS|U-490||2}}. Intercepted radio transmissions led ''Croatan'' and six destroyers to search for ''U-853''.<ref name="Puleo 2005 17">{{cite book|title=Due to Enemy Action: The True World War II Story of the USS Eagle 56|last=Puleo|first=Stephen|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-739-5|year=2005|page=17}}</ref> The ''U-853'' proved so elusive that ''Croatan''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew nicknamed their prey "Moby Dick."<ref name="greatest"/> After ten days of hunting, on 17 June [[Huff-Duff]] (HF/DF, high frequency direction finding) picked up a weather report from ''U-853'' only {{convert|30|nmi}} away.<ref name="greatest"/> Within minutes two [[FM-1 Wildcat]] fighters [[strafe]]d the submarine,<ref name="greatest"/> killing 2 men and wounding 12 others. Sommer suffered 28 shrapnel and bullet wounds yet still managed to give the order to submerge. In all likelihood Sommer saved his submarine from being destroyed by allied bombers.<ref name="greatest"/>

The escort carrier {{USS|Croatan|CVE-14|6}} had been hunting weather boats for nearly a month and had already sunk {{GS|U-488||2}} and {{GS|U-490||2}}. Intercepted radio transmissions led ''Croatan'' and six destroyers to search for ''U-853''.<ref name="Puleo 2005 17">{{cite book|title=Due to Enemy Action: The True World War II Story of the USS Eagle 56|last=Puleo|first=Stephen|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=1-59228-739-5|year=2005|page=17}}</ref> The ''U-853'' proved so elusive that ''Croatan''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s crew nicknamed their prey "Moby Dick."<ref name="greatest"/> After ten days of hunting, on 17 June [[Huff-Duff]] (HF/DF, high frequency direction finding) picked up a weather report from ''U-853'' only {{convert|30|nmi}} away.<ref name="greatest"/> Within minutes two [[FM-1 Wildcat]] fighters [[strafe]]d the submarine,<ref name="greatest"/> killing 2 men and wounding 12 others. Sommer suffered 28 shrapnel and bullet wounds yet still managed to give the order to submerge. In all likelihood Sommer saved his submarine from being destroyed by allied bombers.<ref name="greatest"/>

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=30 September 2007

|access-date=30 September 2007

}}</ref> and returned to [[Lorient]] in northwest France. Sommer and a large number of the crew was declared unfit for duty. On 10 July Sommer was formally relieved by ''Oberleutnant zur See'' Otto Wermuth.

}}</ref> and returned to [[Lorient]] in northwest France. Sommer and a large number of the crew was declared unfit for duty. On 10 July Sommer was formally relieved by ''Oberleutnant zur See'' Otto Wermuth.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

===Second patrol===

===Second patrol===

==Legacy==

==Legacy==

The submarine's two propellers were on display for many years at the Inn at Castle Hill in Newport and are now in the custody of the [[United States Naval War College]] Museum at the [[Newport Naval Station]].

The submarine's two propellers were on display for many years at the Inn at Castle Hill in Newport and are now in the custody of the [[United States Naval War College]] Museum at the [[Newport Naval Station]].{{cn|date=July 2025}}

==Wreck==

==Wreck==