Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit   / periscopefilm  
Visit our website www.PeriscopeFilm.com

This raw, silent film footage tells an astonishing story, one of the most interesting U.S. Navy actions of WWII: the capture of a German Uboat on the high seas. On June 4, 1944, an American antisubmarine squadron accomplished an incredible feat, capturing the German Uboat U505 and all hands. This film celebrates the achievement and explains how it happened. It certainly wasn't a fluke. Commander Daniel Gallery, of the USS Guadalcanal, was convinced he could surface and capture an enemy submarine, and he drilled his crews in the art of boarding. When the aircraft carrier USS Guadalcanal (CVE60) and its destroyer escorts, USS Pillsbury (DE133), USS Pope (DE134), USS Flaherty (DE135), USS Chatelain (DE149) and USS Jenks (DE665), got a contact, they worked in close concert to achieve the capture. German submarine commander Harald Lange and his crew were neatly captured, and their boat towed to Bermuda. Today this Type IXC Uboat rests in the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, a nice war prize delivered in style by the U.S. Navy.

This silent footage begins postcapture, with shots aboard the USS Guadalcanal. At :16, a wounded German sailor is brought aboard the ship in a litter. At :58, German prisoners are brought up onto the deck. At 1:30, lookouts peer out towards the escort fleet and the captured U505, which is visible at 2:15. At 2:49 the crippled submarine is seen up close. At 3:44, German prisoners are given a bath by sailors. At 5:11, another injured German sailor is brought up to the deck of the ship. At 5:42, wide shot of the USS Guadalcanal as seen from another vessel. At 5:51, German prisoners are seen on the carrier. At 8:16, calisthenics are performed on the deck of the ship. At 8:35, the Uboat wallows in the sea as TBD Avenger aircraft circle overhead. At 9:12, a German crewman in a Mae West and lifeboat is rescued by a boat crew. At 9:27, shots of the entire German crew being rescued en masse. At 9:38, the conning tower of the Uboat is seen close up. At 11:08, shot of the American flag aboard the Guadalcanal.

We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference."

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com