German Uboat men who made it onto US shores

[Cory C]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/LAW/09/06/ar911.prosecution/

Justice Department lawyers cite two World War II-era legal precedents for indefinite detention. One case involves eight German saboteurs --- one of whom contended he was a U.S. citizen --- who were arrested after crossing the Atlantic Ocean in submarines, landing on U.S. soil and burying their uniforms and bomb-making devices in the sand.

I'd like to know as much as possible about these men.

1] How long were they loose before they were captured?
2] What did they do during this time? (pretend to be Americans, go to jazz shows? etc.)
3] Were there any other German troops secretly in our midst during the war?
4] What were they sent to sabotage? (I can't see eight men doing that much damage, so I assume more were planned to be sent?)

5] Did any Germans sent on "regular" Uboat missions ever end up on our shores by accident or emergency bail-out, and run around free as rottweilers?

Ever since I heard that German Uboats got very very close to our shores, I've been obsessed with the idea of a German soldier ending up in America during war-time. Now I know it happened at least once!
Imagine what a culture shock it must have been for them!


~Cory

[John W]

4] What were they sent to sabotage? (I can't see eight men doing that much damage, so I assume more were planned to be sent?)

Ever hear about the "Gunnerside" raid? And how many men were involved? How much shooting was involved?

Or how about the men who sank the Tirpitz? The Italians who sand British warhips?

Strength alone isn't the matter at times. On can also argue about the ruckus raised by the "Bull of Scapa Flow"

[Xavier]

off the hip:

one of the german saboteurs had detailed instrucions on how to stop production in an aluminum smelting plant, ( I think located in jersey),a complete shutdown.

Really easy, just had to use a high power rifle to poke holes in the power transformers feeding power to the factory, it was the factories would not have enough back up power to maintain production if more than one line went down. damge would have been inmensurable.

regards

Xavier
Instandsetzungtruppfuhrer
(formerly known as the link scrounger)

[Psycho Mike]

I actually met the late Eric Gimple who went to New York in search of the Manhatten Project (!) and was later arrested and given the death penalty. (Lucky for him FDR died and Truman changed his sentence).

He told me up to 5000 German spies were here during the war! Now that figure could have been inflated to make him more comfortable, but the fact is he hooked up with a spy almost immediately. He wrote a book about this thatyou can order on Amazon.

My feeling? Once contact was lost with Germany these men faded into the woodwork knowing the end was near for the Reich.

And their American wives probably wondered why every April 20th they had to eat at a German restaurant........

[gabriel pagliarani]

I actually met the late Eric Gimple who went to New York in search of the Manhatten Project (!) and was later arrested and given the death penalty. (Lucky for him FDR died and Truman changed his sentence)...He told me up to 5000 German spies were here during the war! :

Psycho, did you really interview Herr Gimple? I am really interested about his real aknowledgement about A-bomb. Isn't true that his main contact with the Chigago team was an italian mafioso enroled by FBI?

[EER]

I believe these are the men who worked under the guidance of Leutnant Walter Kappe (one-time member of the German-American Bund) who was ordered back to Germany by Hitler to organize espionage against America. This was an Abwehr operation I believe.

[Cory C]

Ever hear about the "Gunnerside" raid? And how many men were involved? How much shooting was involved?

Or how about the men who sank the Tirpitz? The Italians who sand British warhips?

Strength alone isn't the matter at times. On can also argue about the ruckus raised by the "Bull of Scapa Flow"

To answer your questions: no. There's a reason I have only made 82 posts outside the Lounge in my time here; because I don't know as much about Nazi Germany as you and others.
Certainly I know more than the average American, though.

And their American wives probably wondered why every April 20th they had to eat at a German restaurant........

LOL.
Thank you for the information, Psycho Mike; I put GIMPEL'S (you misspelled his name) book on my wish list.

Thanks Xavier & EER!

I still wonder about regular U-boat missions that go awry; they were the least prepared to be spies, so it would make their blending in to American society much more interesting.
Of course I know that few U-boat men survived at all, let alone made it to shore. Still, the idea is fascinating...

If anyone has any more information, please share it. I'm becoming obsessed.


~Cory

[Psycho Mike]

Well I met Eric when he was in Chicago back on July 15 in 1993. Got his autograph too, along with Otto from U Boat M99, the most successful U boat commander and a fellow from U boat U763 and ^^95 (the first one was destroyed- he was the last to leave the ship alive so he was on two boats). They were in town with a group of U Boat vets to see the UBoat we have on display at the Museum Of Science and Industry, now dig this- one guy at the party went up to Otto and Eric and said (and he spoke english and was an American) that he wished he could have served with him. Otto froze, stopped shaking his hand and stepped back. Eric turned away like he didn't hear him. Then I stepped up and said I wished I could have fought them!

Well, Otto laughed, hugged me, and invited me to sit at his table with his wife and Eric bought me a beer!

Eric told me what wasn't in the press, and was later cleaned up in his book. So prepare yourself for the true story.

After he had lost contact with Germany he had all this dough so he started seeing a hooker. She was also seeing a FBI agent! He asked her if she had ever heard of the Manhatten Project and she in turn told the FBI agent. Now he told me he had a habit. And he pulled some folded dollars out of his shirt pocket. He carries his money folded in his shirt pocket and always had! The FBI agent couldn't bust him at the hookers, Hoover would have fired him. In fact- he would have fired him for knowing a hooker! She later testified for him and is still alive which is why he cleaned it up for the book. ANYWAY- she told the FBI patron that Eric always bought a paper before he came up to see her and took the money from his shirt pocket. As soon as he showed up to buy the paper the agents saw him take the money from his shirt pocket and swooped in. Hoover was none the wiser.

That's the story you won't find in the press or books. 8)

[Englander]

I'd like to know as much as possible about these men.

These links may answer your questions?
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/02/cohen.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq114-1.htm

[Cory C]

I'd like to know as much as possible about these men.

These links may answer your questions?
http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/2002/02/cohen.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq114-1.htm

Yes they do! Thanks very much!


~Cory

[Psycho Mike]

More on Eric Gimpel
Here is backround on him:
http://www.angelfire.com/oz/1spy/Gimpel.html

Here is the book he wrote before he died:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/a ... ws/2008853

His book by the way received rave reviews here in America. Interesting life to say the least!

[Cory C]

Thanks, Mike!


~Cory

[gabriel pagliarani]

ThanX to all. Nice post.