PATTON 12 MILES FROM PARIS, DRIVING FOE TO NEW TRAP ON SEINE; TOULON ATTACKED (8/19/44)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 8/19/44 | E.C. Daniel, Richard J.H. Johnston, Daniel T. Brigham, Raymond Daniell, W.H. Lawrence, more

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[henkster]

The French also recycled those well-built German submarine pens, and operated their owm sub fleet from them for several decades.

[henkster]

But there is definitely a lull in Pacific operations right now. The Nimitz diary for today would fit on the back of a postcard. The series of amphibious operations and carrier raids that wiped out Japan’s maritime defenses is over. The current carrier raids don’t seem as momentous. Both side must be gearing up for the next big move.

[henkster]

Even the Volkischer Beobachter admits the Battle of France is over and the German army there is spent. Interesting how Ike had a conference with his top generals and came out tight-lipped.

[Seizethecarp]

Churchill wrote in a letter to FDR just the other day that he wanted reassurance that the pens would be destroyed before being returned to the French! I guess he didn’t trust them. He easily could have thought they would go commie. They almost did several times, of course.

[colorado tanker]

I noticed the same thing. What occurred to me is he may have had a discussion about taking over direct command and stripping Monty of his ground command title. Was Hanson Baldwin as usual prescient about the subject?

[colorado tanker]

The troops have just come through a grueling campaign in the Marianas and I’m sure need rest, refitting and training up replacements. Getting ready for the next one.

[PeterPrinciple]

According to this it was U510 that became the French submarine

http://uboat.net/boats/u510.htm

[PeterPrinciple]

Notes: U-510 was of a small number of Type IXC u-boats modified for distant operations, with increased fuel, food, and enhanced AA gun armament. In 1943-1944 she conducted a patrol in the Indian Ocean, going as far east as Japanese-occupied Singapore where the Imperial Japanese navy refueled and resupplied her.

U-510 was stationed at Lorient in occupied France for most of WWII, before retreating to Flensburg in late October 1944. U-510 was at sea in the Atlantic when Germany surrendered. The crew elected not to scuttle the ship and instead proceeded to Ste. Nazaire, France where they surrendered. The Allies allocated the submarine to France as reparations.

Sometime in early 1946 the ex-U-510 was moved to Brest, France, where the French navy modified the vessel by eliminating all gun armament and adding a streamlined GUPPY-type sail, along with a new snorkel head. On 24 June 1947, the submarine was renamed Commandant Bouan and commissioned into the French navy. The French navy was fairly enthusiastic about this submarine as it had excellent range and good diving depth.

-http://harpoondatabases.com/Encyclopedia/Entry3154.aspx

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Churchill may not have gotten the pens destroyed it was stipulated that armament be removed from the sub?

[fso301]

The number of hits on the metal pill box are telling.

Would be interesting to see how much spalling occurred inside.

[Seizethecarp]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-510

Post war

U-510 was captured by American forces at Saint-Nazaire on 10 May 1945. Awarded to the French in 1946, she was commissioned into the French Navy, and renamed Bouan (S.612) on 24 June 1947. She served until struck on 1 May 1959, renamed hull Q.176 on 23 November 1959, and was broken up in 1960.[4]