Zebra Books
1974
ISBN: 0385003722
English
404 pages
PDF
This book contains a series of stories of various men in the U-boats, mostly commanders, but also some lower ranking officers, some famous (Otto Kretchmer, Luth, Schnee, Prien, Hartenstein) and some not so famous (Cremer, Rasch, Maus, Spar) and some obscure (Wolf Schafer). Rasch & Cremer, 2 rare survivors from early in the war, are the most featured. Like "The Boat", this book spends a lot of time on shore-shore escapes of women, bars, drunkeness, spent paychecks, and a hilarious getaway from the Gestapo by Cremer and Rasch with a carload of black market food. They take this to a naval dinner with the C-in-C Adm. Doenitz, apparently a very bare-bones vegetarian affair by rule, and bring on the lobster, etc. to all diners except the Adm., who is served his boiled carrots - before relenting. As the war progresses, the stories pick up on the devastation of Germany and the slaughter of the U-boats. The author apparently takes great liberties with actual conversations, which he routinely presents, making this something of a historical novel. There are also quite a few factual errors, but overall, the author does pretty well. Kind of reminds you of a John Toland book. The overall tone is lighthearted with a humorous slant on most stories, alongside devastating details of death and destruction. One of a kind book. Unlike "The Boat", this book is not preachy or have any stoic underlying messege, except that war is cruel and unpredictable and good men rise to the occasion of their circumstances.
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