20 Jun 1941

1128: Leaving St. Nazaire.  Sober spirits - we are about to take another risk.  I think the men may have started to suspect the fickle nature of luck.  While in port I spent some time at the Officer’s Club with Philipp, exchanging lessons learned.  He had enormous success on his first patrol, netting 85k and essentially halving the number of ships in a convoy Eastbound for Liverpool.  He told me of the feeling of invincibility that engulfed him, and his crew, as U-99 prowled along the convoy lanes like a hungry nocturnal predator, claiming the largest ships for its meal.  The convoy escorts were unable to locate him, circling far outside the perimeter without the slightest clue that U-99 was actually inside the convoy and eating its way out.  On his way home, traveling boldly on the surface through the rainy night, U-99 was surprised by a destroyer patrolling the channel.  During the emergency dive he was nearly rammed by the destroyer, but subsequently was able to give his attacker the slip.  Over a dark pint, we reflected on how the impression of safety can quickly shatter into panic when the mind collides with reality.  Never trust the feeling of safety. 

Albert Mayer, Oberleutnant z. S., XO. 

Today we're headed to AM24 once again. Clear skies and soft waves at 10 kts.  My XO is content with the mood of the boat; his crew is appropriately serious.  The green is beginning to stain with salt and rust.

23 Jun 1941

0345: Radio Report - Large Convoy BF41.  Closing on intercept course at flank.

0745: Visual Contact - convoy.  Plotting course.

0903: Inside the convoy.  Fired fore tubes at 2 Large cargo ships.  One of them is hit twice and breaks up.  Second is hit by one torpedo, amidships, second torpedo duds.  Tube V fired at Large Cargo but detonates prematurely.  Rats. Dive to 165m, run perpendicular to convoy.  Warship screws overhead…passes without incident.

1115: Screws fading, go to PD.  Spot convoy - large cargo ships still in line - no stragglers.  Surface and plot course to flank convoy.

1400: Moving into attack position - tubes loaded and external stores moved inside.

1429: Ship sunk!  Large Cargo ship.  Two tubes fired at second Large Cargo - crippled, engine stopped.  Tube V to third Large Cargo.  Dive to 165m, move against convoy.

1455: back to PD, convoy passed.  Surface and sink crippled Cargo with 50 deck gun rounds.

1730: Shadow convoy, move into attack position. 

1817: Ship Sunk!  Large cargo - final T1 cracks hull of tanker.  Silent running to 165m, move perpendicular to convoy. 

1900: Surface.  Radio Bdu: torpedoes expended before reaching patrol grid.  BdU: RTB.

25 Jun 1941

1023:  Arrive at St. Nazaire.  Another deadly strike against our enemies!  Never detected by escorts!  The men are becoming very confident.  Our Uboote technology is superior to allied ASW and we attack with impunity.  Our only weakness now is in our torpedo technology.  I've noticed that about half of our eels are duds, or do not detonate.  Also, there have been several premature detonations with the magnetic pistol.  We were warned about this and will set to impact.  However, even with eels that reach their targets, many do not detonate.  This is very wasteful.  We have been inflicting major damage, but would be even more deadly if we could count on proper torpedo performance.

  
Nevertheless, our first two patrols have been exceedingly convenient.  We’ve encountered abundant shipping activity in Biscay and have eaten our fill without needing to transit to our patrol grid.  The enemy is slinging an incredible amount of tonnage across the Atlantic.  This means that we have to work harder to cut them off.  So much easier it would be if all of our torpedoes were functional!

Promoted to KapitanLeutnant
Awarded Iron Cross, First Class
Awarded Knight’s Cross
Awarded U-Boot-Front Clasp

Ships sunk: 4
Hull Integrity: 100%
Patrol tonnage: 29286