This black & white film tells the story of how the United States Navy captured a German U-boat on the high seas. The Allies learned from decrypted German messages that U-boats were operating near Cape Verde and the Navy dispatched Task Group 22.3 to the area, a “Hunter-Killer” group commanded by Captain Daniel V. Gallery and Commander Frederick S. Hall. The events shown in the film started on 4 June 1944, when the group intercepted and captured the German Type IXC submarine U-505. This was the first time that the U.S. Navy captured an enemy vessel at sea since the 19th century. What is not explained in the film, and remained classified for many years after the war, is that vital German code books and a naval Enigma code machine were seized during the incident. Copyright 1945.

Opening titles: U.S. Navy presents ” Away Boarders ” (:07). Stills of battles at sea from an era when prize taking was the norm rather than the exception (:24). Battle of the Atlantic in 1941/1942; ships being sunk, torpedoes being fired by U-boats (1:23). Flames on the sea, a wall of fire (2:04). Navy flattop and its destroyer escorts at sea — Navy Task Group 22.3 on ASW patrol (2:15). Two Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats fly over a DE (2:54). Destroyer weapons include guns, depth charges and torpedo tubes (3:14). USS Guadalcanal (CVE-60) a Casablanca-class escort carrier commanded by Capt. Daniel Vincent Gallery (3:31). May 15, 1944 – Guadalcanal and her five DEs: USS Pillsbury, USS Chatelain, USS Pope, USS Flaherty and the USS Jenks (4:12). Gallery’s plan to attempt to board a U-boat are discussed and boarding party shown (5:15). USS Pillsbury’s party is shown (6:23). June 4, 1944 – Chatelain sonarman picks up a German U-boat and two Wildcats from the Guadalcanal are dispatched: they can see the sub under the water (6:37). Wildcats strafe the U-boat (7:48). Destroyer depth charges the sub (8:03). Damaged U-505 surfaces (8:27). German sailors are attempting to abandon ship (9:23). Boarding party from the Guadalcanal (9:44). A group of American sailors boards a foreign adversary on the high seas (10:17). Pillsbury closes on the U-boat to render assistance (10:43). The U-505 is slowly sinking (10:48). Men search the ship quickly (11:17). Chatelain picks up Germans from the water (11:48), they are now POWs (12:04). USS Guadalcanal heads in to tow the stricken U-boat (13:22). Americans work frantically to stabilize the U-boat and prevent it from sinking before it can be towed (14:08). U-boat successfully towed by the Guadalcanal towards Bermuda (14:57). F4F-4 Wildcats continue ASW activities on the Guadalcanal (15:28). German prisoners transferred from the Chatelain to the Guadalcanal including the German captain Harald Lange (15:56). Germans are allowed to exercise with the Americans on deck; and given showers (16:25). U.S. Fleet tug USS Abnaki ATF-96 takes over towing (16:48). June 19, 1944 – U-505 arrives in Bermuda (17:39). USS Guadalcanal returns to sea (17:58). End credits (18:33).

For having conceived and executed the operation, Captain Gallery received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal. The Task Group was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll, Commander in Chief, US Atlantic Fleet, cited the Task Group for “outstanding performance during anti-submarine operations in the eastern Atlantic” and stated that it was “a feat unprecedented in individual and group bravery, execution, and accomplishment in the Naval History of the United States”.

U-505 is a German Type IXC submarine built for Germany’s Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was captured on 4 June 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3, one of six U-boats that were captured by Allied forces during World War II. All but one of U-505’s crew were rescued by the Navy task group. The submarine was towed to Bermuda in secret and her crew were interned at a POW camp, where they were denied access to International Red Cross visits. The Navy classified the capture as top secret and prevented the Germans from discovering it. In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com