Sinking The German Submarine U-515
On the night of 8 April 1944, planes from Guadalcanal attacked a surfaced German U-boat. The U-boat immediately submerged for deep evasive tactics. Pillsbury and USS Flaherty (DE-135) raced to the scene and Pillsbury made initial sound contact and attacked with hedgehogs. The depth charges forced the U-boat to the surface, but the German sailors were determined to fight to a finish with their torpedoes. Flaherty joined Pillsbury, and in a murderous crossfire made short work of U-515. Six officers, including the Captain, and fifty-seven of the crew were captured.
After repair at Norfolk, Virginia, the hunter-killers sailed from Norfolk in May with a special mission to “bring one back live.”
Read more about this topic: USS Pillsbury (DE-133)
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