ARCHiVE: The Adventures of "Horst Deckert" (SH5)

[Karl Doenitz]

11 MAY 1942, 19:30
VON: BDU
AN: U-504

BE ADVISED NO CONTRACT WITH EITHER U-461 OR U-459 LAST 5 DAYS.STATUS UNKNOWN.CONSERVE FUEL AND BE PREPARED TO RETURN HOME PORT ON EXISTING RESERVES.SAFE JOURNEY.BDU

[Horst Deckert]

15 MAY 1942, 01:17
VON: U-504
AN: BDU

=128= FGX BSR ILRCH
BRGG YCYT RFRJ ZWSU CIPJ XULJ KGQV BFRJ JQBS VKAO
JEGL MZCB KEPB FHMH TBVN ZGOK GXIN JBHG GXAK FCWF
XJTZ CPKR IVLH AIJZ NCNL XMVK KPFN NBCP HJFL SCOQ
WFIT BCBG

[Alfred Keitzer]

CD1723.STATUS.FAILED TO RENDEZVOUS WITH EITHER MILCHKOW.PROCEEDING DIRECT HOME PORT.FUEL:35,EELS:9.DECKERT

[Karl Doenitz]

15 MAY 1942, 02:00
VON: BDU
AN: U-504

ACKNOWLEDGE STATUS.SAFE JOURNEY.BDU

[Horst Deckert]

20 MAY 1942, 00:53
VON: U-504
AN: BDU

=204= RAZ XDR WKGDK
CJYN BIVJ RLBH PFRQ RUID RQGQ NZZC RGRY MYRZ IJTI
ZTUQ UESH WMUS WKMT SEPP FAQC XZJG JSUR ZDKN KPAE
LSNA PUMQ FSGU QDOL VEYL IYML DYRL WUTO RMVW HFYG
MPCZ MRPS AKBG AUSO OJGB YTFN CVBZ RASQ VEJA XTYY
XRQR NVLA NBZT YRPD HXQZ PLGY LMRL FLJO OWIH FKRN
MJBD

[Alfred Keitzer]

BD9716.ENGAGEMENT.SANK WRECKED BRITISH C2 CARGO ADRIFT HDG 130 SPD 2 KTS 8600 GRT.EXPENDED 1 EEL.ESCORT NO THREAT.FUEL:28,EELS:8.WEATHER OCST MODERATE VIS LIGHT FOG WIND N 14.DECKERT

[Karl Doenitz]

20 MAY 1942, 01:30
VON: BDU
AN: U-504

EXCELLENT WORK ON CARGO SHIP.CONTINUED SAFE JOURNEY.BDU

[Horst Deckert]

28 MAY 1942, 04:36
VON: U-504
AN: BDU

=148= WXO UKM NNZLD
EJKW ILSM IAIG QZLK WJJO XDIM RTED AGRW CEXB ZFMF
LHQB HUQG AQLR BYWW SODE JPYK SFZP WUTJ OSCX SDFW
VBPL NACL EWYX KFHF HKYI VQEP CPCI XMJE VYIO LYVS
MQSS LNHF QMGY TDVH BOFY ALXC LUFR

[Alfred Keitzer]

BF5835.STATUS.ESTIMATE OUTER HARBOR 11 HOURS.FUEL:12,EELS:8.WEATHER PRTL CLDS MODERATE VIS LIGHT FOG WIND ENE 5.DECKERT

[Karl Doenitz]

28 MAY 1942, 05:00
VON: BDU
AN: U-504

HOFENMEISTER ADVISED AND ESCORT WILL BE WAITING.AWAIT YOUR ARRIVAL AND DEBRIEF.BDU

[Horst Deckert]

28 MAY 1942, 16:14
VON: U-504
AN: BDU

=124= SXY GDF EVCJF
EZCC VQRF VKQO WJMO ZGMA WEUP OWMC WRGI EKHC LWBF
QRDD JOZZ YJEF ZIEM LOKC VUUH OLIM JLZZ QMNP FDMW
UVSV OULJ MTWE GVVP JRDK VAZL OHGF WKGL CHYL VITJ
WKCS

[Alfred Keitzer]

LORIENT.STATUS.DOSKSIDE AFTER 55 DAYS AT SEA.SANK 1 TANKER 5 MERCHANTS FOR 46509 GRT.CLOSING COMM CHANNEL.DECKERT

[Karl Doenitz]

28 MAY 1942, 05:00
VON: BDU
AN: U-504

EXCELLENT PATROL.MEET AT THE CHATEAU FOR DEBRIEF.HOT MEAL AND DRINKS ON ME TONIGHT.COMM CHANNEL CLOSED.BDU

[Karl Doenitz]

It is with great pleasure that I award the

NORTH ATLANTIC THEATER CAMPAIGN MEDAL

to Horst Deckert for successfully engaging the enemy in the Nord Atlantik Kampaign. Congratulations!



You are authorized to wear this medal or associated ribbon above the left breast pocket of your Kriegsmarine Dress Uniform

[Deckert]

OPERATION DRUMBEAT PATROL 1

Overall a good patrol except we were unable to meet up with either Milchkuh that were supposed to be in the North Atlantik.  As a consequence, we had to cut our patrol short and return to base. Came home in the middle of an enemy bombing raid on Lorient.

Departed Lorient 04 APR 1942
Docked Lorient 28 MAY 1942 after 55 days at sea

Sank 1 tanker and 5 enemy merchants for 46.509 GRT

Expended 14 torpedoes: 10 good detonations; 2 predets; 2 duds