In an period of hypersonic missiles, stealth fighters, and nuclear subs, it’s laborious to image sailors going toe-to-toe with the enemy on a ship’s deck. But throughout World Warfare II, the crew of a brand-new destroyer escort, USS Buckley, did simply that by slugging it out in hand-to-hand fight with German sailors from U-66 in the course of the Atlantic.
For hundreds of years, naval battles had been fought up shut, with boarding events storming ships and melee weapons deciding victories. By the twentieth century, these days had been seemingly lengthy gone. However on Might 6, 1944, the Buckley’s crew proved that the fundamentals of naval warfare had been nonetheless helpful.
USS Buckley: A Destroyer Escort within the Battle of the Atlantic
Commissioned in 1943, the USS Buckley was a destroyer escort, smaller than a destroyer, however constructed to guard Allied convoys from the ever-present menace of German U-boats. Named after Aviation Ordnanceman John D. Buckley who was killed at Pearl Harbor, the ship initially educated different escort crews earlier than becoming a member of the Battle of the Atlantic in spring 1944.
That Might, Buckley joined Process Group 21.11, constructed across the escort service USS Block Island. Their mission was to guard convoys and hunt U-boats. The work was harmful, however the escorts had radar, sonar, depth costs, and air cowl. It was speculated to be a battle of expertise and maneuver, not fists, knives, and occasional mugs.
The Hunt for U-66
Simply after 3 a.m. on Might 6, considered one of Block Island’s reconnaissance plane, piloted by Lt. Jimmie Sellers, noticed U-66, a veteran German submarine commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Seehausen. The sub was on its ninth patrol and had been out to sea since January. U-66 was worn down and in determined want of provides, so it surfaced to recharge its electrical engines and look forward to help close to the Cape Verde Islands.
Sellers relayed the U-boat’s place to the closest American ship, the destroyer escort Buckley. Lt. Cmdr. Brent Abel, her skipper, ordered flank pace forward to chase down the submarine.
Mistaking the Buckley for a pleasant provide ship, Seehausen fired three flares to make his place identified at nighttime. The U-boat rapidly realized its mistake and launched a torpedo on the approaching goal. Buckley managed to dodge it, although a number of sailors observed it skim alongside their ship. Moments later, the submarine’s machine weapons opened hearth, which was answered by Buckley’s 3-inch weapons and a storm of 20mm and 40mm shells. The preliminary salvo hammered U-66’s deck and killed a number of crewmen.
Determined, the U-boat fired one other torpedo which skimmed throughout Buckley’s bow because the destroyer escort turned laborious to the fitting. The 2 ships closed to inside 20 yards, blasting away at one another in a battle that regarded extra like an age of sail broadside than fashionable warfare.
Over the radio, Sellers narrated the engagement as he witnessed it from above, “Buckley has opened hearth, sub is returning hearth. Boy! I’ve by no means earlier than seen such focus! Buckley is slicing hell out of the conning tower!”
Abel determined to complete the battle the old style method. He ordered his ship to ram the submarine.
Ramming Pace and Boarding Events
The destroyer escort smashed into the U-boat, locking the 2 vessels collectively. Chaos unfolded. Some German sailors dove overboard whereas others manned machine weapons and the deck cannon. A handful of determined submariners grabbed knives, golf equipment, and wrenches and leapt aboard the Buckley.
The People had been shocked because the order to repel boarders went out. Sailors hurled shell casings, espresso mugs, kitchenware and even a full espresso pot on the enemy. One boatswain’s mate drew his .45 pistol and dropped a German attacker. Others swung fists, axes, and improvised weapons at nighttime. One U.S. sailor even broke his hand punching a German within the face, the one American damage of your complete battle.
Inside minutes, the boarding celebration was defeated. The surviving Germans had been escorted beneath deck by a sailor armed solely with a hammer.
As Buckley pulled away, U-66, badly broken however nonetheless afloat, circled round and slammed into the escort once more, wrecking her propeller shaft. Seehausen tried to get clear, however an American sailor managed to toss a grenade into the uncovered conning tower. Fireplace unfold by means of the submarine, and moments later, U-66 slipped beneath the waves together with her commander nonetheless aboard.
Buckley rescued 36 Germans, many severely wounded. Regardless of holes raked throughout her hull and a crippled propeller, the ship had survived and received probably the most distinctive naval engagements in historical past.
The Destiny of the USS Buckley
The battle earned Abel the Navy Cross, whereas Buckley’s crew obtained a Navy Unit Commendation and a fight star. After repairs, the ship returned to obligation and later helped sink one other submarine, U-548, in 1945.
Decommissioned in 1946, Buckley spent twenty years in reserve earlier than being scrapped in 1969. Her finish was quiet, however her legacy was something however. To today, Buckley holds the excellence of being the one U.S. Navy ship in World Warfare II, and since, to ram an enemy vessel and defeat its crew in hand-to-hand fight.
