Chicago houses a Nazi war prize with a crazy backstory

Captain Gallery’s Historic Capture of German U-505

On June 4, 1944, Captain Daniel Gallery’s ships found German submarine U-505 just 800 yards away off Africa. Depth charges hit hard, forcing the sub to pop up after only six minutes.

The German crew jumped ship in panic, but left the engines on and most bombs unset. Next, Lieutenant Albert David led eight brave men who jumped onto the still-moving sub.

They shut valves and grabbed secret code books while the sub kept going at six knots. This bold move marked the first time since 1812 that U.S. sailors seized an enemy ship at sea.

Today, this same U-505 sits in Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry where you can walk through the actual submarine that changed naval history.

Gallery’s Hunting Pack Formed to Catch U-boats Alive

Captain Daniel Gallery put together Task Group 22. 3 in 1944 with the carrier USS Guadalcanal and five destroyer escorts.

He wanted to catch a German submarine, not just sink one. Gallery created new “hunter-killer” tactics and trained his crews to board enemy subs.

His team practiced anti-submarine warfare until they got really good at it. He told his sailors how getting a working U-boat with all its secret gear would help win the war.

The task group already sank two U-boats before they found U-505.

Sonar Ping Reveals German Sub Just Yards Away

On June 4, 1944, the USS Chatelain spotted U-505 on sonar only 800 yards away off the African coast. The German submarine was on its 12th patrol under Oberleutnant Harald Lange.

Task Group 22. 3 was sailing about 150 miles west of Cape Blanco in French West Africa.

Gallery quickly put his capture plan into action. The USS Guadalcanal sent Wildcat fighter planes to help with the attack while the destroyer escorts moved into position. The Germans had no idea what was coming.

Depth Charges Force U-505 to the Surface

USS Chatelain attacked the submarine with hedgehog weapons and depth charges that blew up around the U-boat. The blasts damaged U-505 badly, jamming its rudder so it couldn’t steer straight.

Seawater poured into several compartments through broken seals and pipes. The sub had to surface after just six and a half minutes underwater.

As soon as the sub broke the surface, Wildcat fighters shot at its deck guns to stop the German sailors from using them.

Panicked German Sailors Jump Ship

Commander Lange got hurt during the attack and knew his submarine was in trouble. He told his crew to abandon ship and set off charges to sink the submarine.

The German sailors rushed so much they didn’t set all the demolition charges properly. They left the engines running as they hurried out of the hatches.

Fifty-eight German crew members jumped into the Atlantic Ocean.

Only one German sailor died during the attack, while American ships picked up the rest from the water.

A Lieutenant Volunteers for a Dangerous Mission

Lieutenant Junior Grade Albert David stepped up to lead the boarding party when Gallery asked for volunteers. The sub could blow up any second from hidden charges.

David quickly got eight men from USS Pillsbury to join him for the risky mission. None of them knew if the Germans had booby-trapped the submarine.

The U. S. Navy hadn’t boarded an enemy warship at sea during combat since fighting the British in 1812.

Jumping Onto a Moving Submarine in the Open Ocean

David’s team had to board the submarine while it was still moving in circles at six knots. They faced possible explosives, flooding compartments, and poisonous gas from damaged batteries.

The sailors jumped from small boats onto the wet, slippery deck of the submarine. With guns drawn, they climbed down through the conning tower.

Most of these men had never been inside a submarine before, let alone a German one. They worked on gut instinct as they entered the empty vessel.

Race Against Time to Stop the Sinking

The boarding party found some demolition charges already set but not yet exploded. They rushed to close the open valves letting seawater flood the submarine.

Team members carefully disconnected the remaining explosive charges. They figured out how to stop the submarine’s engines and got the flooding under control.

More sailors from the task group came aboard to help pump out water. Within minutes, they saved a sinking submarine.

Secret Code Machines Worth More Than Gold

David’s team found the prized Enigma encryption machine the Germans used for secret messages. They grabbed codebooks, maps, and other intelligence materials before they could sink.

These items got rushed to USS Guadalcanal since they were worth more than the submarine itself. The boarding party also saved papers the Germans failed to destroy in their hurry to leave.

This intelligence gave Allied codebreakers new insights into German naval communications at a key point in the war.

Towing a Submarine Across the Atlantic

Gallery decided to tow the captured submarine all the way back to a U. S. base. The USS Guadalcanal began the tough 1,700-mile journey to Bermuda with U-505 in tow.

The entire operation stayed completely secret to protect what they’d captured.

Several ships from the task group worked together during the difficult towing through dangerous waters. Armed guards watched the submarine day and night to keep it secure throughout the long journey home.

Heroes Honored in Secret

The Navy marked the entire capture operation “top secret” until after the war ended. Lieutenant Albert David got the Medal of Honor for his bravery leading the boarding party.

The other eight boarding team members received Navy Crosses or Silver Stars for their actions. The Navy kept quiet about the capture so the Germans wouldn’t know their codes were compromised.

Sadly, David died of a heart attack in September 1945 before he could get his medal in person.

Chicago Becomes Home to a German War Prize

U-505 ended up as one of just five Type IX German submarines that made it through the war intact.

The Navy eventually gave the submarine to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry where visitors can still see it today. The U.S. government named it a National Historic Landmark in 1989 to recognize its importance.

In 2005, the museum finished a massive $35 million restoration project to preserve the submarine for future generations.

The U-505 stands as one of the most important artifacts from the Battle of the Atlantic and a testament to American naval ingenuity.

Visiting U-505 Submarine, Chicago

You can see the captured German U-505 submarine at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry at 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive.

The main exhibit comes with general admission ($21. 95 for adults) and has nearly 200 artifacts about the 1944 capture.

You can pay extra for a 25-minute on-board tour with Q&A.

They also offer a special “U-505 In-Depth Experience” on select weekend mornings before the museum opens.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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