Jim Reyburns article "U-boat" in the August 2005 issue of Sea Classics magazine was well written and tells the story of the sinking of the German U-boat U-853 on 5-6 May 1945 toward the end of World War Two.
However, on page 78 of his article, there are three pictures, two at the bottom with the caption, "Crewmen watch from the deck of the USS Moberly." The top picture's caption says, "Crewmen on stern of destroyer escort USS Atherton (DE169) watch a depth charge explode during the hunt for U-853. Atherton and two other ships dropped a total of more than 400 depth charges and hedgehogs in their successful action against the submarine."
Both Moberly and Atherton were manned by the US Coast Guard.
The upper picture is not of the Atherton as Reyburn says but, in fact, the USCGC Spencer (WPG-36), a 327ft gunboat of the Secretary-class cutters. That official Coast Guard picture was taken on 17 April 1943 by Jack January, USCGR, who was aboard the Spencer at that time. The official Coast Guard photo number of that picture is 1517. The picture's caption says, "Coast Guard cutter sinks sub, while Coast Guardsmen on the deck of the US Coast Guard cutter Spencer watch the explosion of a depth charge which blasted a Nazi U-boat's hope of breaking into the center of a large convoy. The depth charge tossed from the 327-ft cutter blew the submarine to the surface, where it was engaged by Coast Guardsmen. Ships of the convoy may be seen in the background."
Balenciaga Fake HandbagsThe caption continues, "Patrolling ahead of Convoy HX-233 on 17 April 1943, Spencer detected on sonar the submerged U-175 attempting to slip into the van of the convoy. The Spencer then delivered this devastating depth charge attack that brought the U-175 to the surface." Spencer did get credit for sinking the U-175.
That picture of Spencer along with others taken during the attack and sinking of U-175 may be seen at the official Coast Guard web site: .
I enjoy reading Sea Classics and have been a 'scriber for many years.
QMCS Larry Richter, USCGR Ret. Morehead City, NC
LIBERTY SHIP BOOK
Thank you very much for the generous space and support you gave in Sea Classics to my letter and my book, Good Shipmates: The Restoration of the Liberty Ship John W. Brown, Volume One, 1942-1994.
Rod E. Redman's review of the book in the Captain's Locker in the March issue of Sea Classics was wonderful. I appreciate it very much.
I'm a lucky guy. Before I had a publisher, I sometimes called Good Shipmates... "my alleged book." Now, with the fortunate interest and enthusiasm of Capt. Walter W. Jaffee and his Glencannon Press, I call it "my half book" since he decided to publish it in two volumes. I'm working on the second volume (1995-present) for publication December 2006.
Mainly, I'm lucky because the book puts a spotlight on my shipmates and because it reminds people again of the courage, heroism and sacrifices made in the war and in other wars. That was my goal.
These WWII folks may well be "the greatest generation." But, in my talks/readings now, I say I find that term ironic because the war veterans I work with on the Brown are too modest to use that term to describe each other. To me, they are "The Modest Generation."
And in a departure from the fine Tom Brokaw book, these people in Good Shipmates came together as strangers almost a half-century after sailing to do something difficult together in their declining years save a Liberty ship - to remind people of the heroism of the time.
I ho
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