The rush of water grew
in volume until, as the men of the destroyers watched with all the ardor
of fishermen landing trout, the U-boat came to the surface like a dead
whale.
But the Americans were cautious. While stricken the undersea craft might
show fight. So with guns and torpedo-tubes trained upon the submarine,
they waited. But there was no fight in that boat. The depth charges had
done their work thoroughly. While the visible portion of the hull
appeared to have been uninjured, it was perfectly clear that the vessel
was not under perfect control. Her ballast-tanks were damaged, which
accounted for a bad list.
The explosions of the depth-bombs had hurled her to the bottom, where
she retained sufficient buoyancy to catapult to the surface. As the
conning-tower came into sight the _Nicholson_ fired three shots from her
stern gun. The U-boat then seemed to right herself, making fair speed
ahead. The _Fanning_ headed in toward her, firing from the bow gun.
After the third shot the crew of the German vessel came up on deck,
their hands upraised.
While approaching the craft both the destroyers kept their guns trained
for instant use, but, as it turned out, precautions were unnecessary.
Lines were thrown aboard the submersible and were made fast; but the
U-boat, either stricken mortally or scuttled by her crew, began to
settle. Lines were hastily cast off, and the boat sought her long rest
upon the bottom of a sea to which no doubt she had sent many harmless
vessels.
Pages:
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133