[MeganC]

Even though he was on the wrong side I’m still sad to see an actual man pass away.

[Bryanw92]

As a former submariner who lives in Jacksonville today, I have a lot of respect for this guy. Glad he had a long, successful life after the war. Many WW2 submariners on both sides did not.

[dfwgator]

[WKUHilltopper]

It’s remarkable he even survived the war.

[IronJack]

Roosevelt’s expense? HE didn’t pay for the tanker!

[dfwgator]

U-Boats were a reaction to the Brits’ naval blockade of Germany, a lot easier to choke off Germany from shipping than Britain.

[Red Badger]

Tom Cruise?.....................

[Uversabound]

My best friends dad who passed survived the beach at Normandy. This is astonishing when you watch those movies.

Full circle my parents were kids during Musolini.

I am only 56 but can tell their stories of when the german soldiers came to their homes....

[DesertRhino]

75% of all German sub crews died in the war. The highest casualty rate in all German forces. I havent heard of anything with a higher rate except oddball things like Japanese Kamikaze.

[Drew68]

Hardegen's bravado off the Jacksonville coast nearly cost him his boat and his life, according to the bestseller "Operation Drumbeat: The Dramatic True Story of Germany's First U-Boat Attacks Along the American Coast in World War II," by historian Michael Gannon.

Outstanding book. I read it in college many years ago.

Operation Drumbeat: The Dramatic True Story of Germany's First U-Boat Attacks Along the American Coast in World War II

Interesting bit of trivia: They often had American currency on board and when they weren't sinking ships off the coast, they used to sneak small parties ashore to go grocery shopping.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Don’t forget this one;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVOTVjWBhtk

[moovova]

Well,Reinhard...how many American submarines are on display in the the Fuehrer's Museum of Science and Industry in Munich?

(U-boat photo courtesy of the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.)

[jerod]

This dude truly beat the odds.

My uncle a Canadian Merchant Marine was a fireman and trimmer on the S.S. Roxby on November 7th 1942 when they were torpedoed and sunk by U-613. He and and 32 other seaman died, 13 of the crew survived in a lifeboat and one of them died from exposure on the 11th. They were picked up by the Irish Beech on the 12th of November.

Thankfully - All 48 crew aboard U-boat 613 were lost when they were sunk by the the destroyer USS George E. Badger on the 23rd of July 1943.

Thanks to the internet, this stuff is all out there... The good news... All these years later... Revenge is still sweet and thanks to anybody still living who served on the Badger! Much appreciated from his nephew!

[Snickering Hound]

[1Old Pro]

Theirs was a war of aggression, ours one of self preservation - easy choice to pick the right side.

[outofsalt]

Any surviving Kamikaze’s? ;)

[shanover]

A proper use of U-Boats would have drastically changed the war by strangling Britain and choking American supplies.

I understand the military honor of those who served in war but it is quite horrific to think of those on civilian and military ships who went down by torpedo.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Prayers for his soul.

[Slyfox]

Love this movie, but I can't watch the last five minutes of it.

[mikeus_maximus]

“Hardegen later wrote in his log: “All the vacationers had seen an impressive special performance at [President Franklin D.] Roosevelt’s expense. A burning tanker, artillery fire, the silhouette of a U-boat — how often had that been seen in America?”

And how did that work out for you and your wolfpack compadres, skippy? How long before that smirk was wiped off your face?