When U-172, commanded by Carl Emmermann left Kiel on 22 April 1942, the second lucky period for German submarines was ending with the Americans setting up convoys along their coast. From the beginning of the conflict, the means of fighting submarines brought in to play by the Allies, had increased considerably : development of on-board radar, increased numbers of escorts and planes, decrypting submarine radio messages, etc. As a result, combat conditions had seriously deteriorated on the German side. However, from May 1942 to September 1943, Carl Emmermann's U-172 sank 26 ships during...

After spending four years in the Merchant Navy discovering the world and its pleasures, Werner Henke entered the Reichsmarine as an officer cadet in 1934. However, his need for freedom to go and resume his feminine conquests, his brawling, his love of jazz and dancing, excluded him from the active service of the officer corps of the Kriegsmarine in February 1941. He was aboard U-124 at the time as third officer, out on patrol. Picked out by Admiral Doenitz who was looking for strong personalities to command his U-Boats, he continued the patrol as an "officer on availability". The admiral...