bigpigeon.us webpage WWII - Germany > Battle of the Atlantic, updated by RAC 16 May 2022.
The Battle of the Atlantic refers to WW II naval warfare between the Allies and the Axis, mostly in the North Atlantic, with the main Axis weapon being submarine torpedoes.
The Battle of the Atlantic refers to WW II naval warfare between the Allies and the Axis, mostly in the North Atlantic, with the main Axis weapon being submarine torpedoes.
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In the Battle of the Atlantic, German and Italian submarines attempted to destroy shipping between North America and the parts of Europe still held by the Allies.
The Battle of the Atlantic was the major component of World War II naval action between Germany and the Allies, with Great Britain playing the leading role for the Allies. Most Pottawattamie County maritime deaths in the War with Germany occurred closer to shore in the Mediterranean and European Theaters and are not listed below. |
One of the many merchant ships sunk in the Battle of the Atlantic
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When Germany defeated France and England in the Blitzkrieg of May and June 1940, the armistice terms dictated by Germany placed all of the Atlantic coast of France under German occupation. Thus,Germany took over existing French submarine bases and added additional facilities. From these French Atlantic ports, the German submarine fleet had much easier access to their Atlantic hunting grounds than earlier when only bases on the North Sea were available. The German Atlantic bases are listed below:
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French Atlantic Coast Ports
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Not until the spring of 1943 did the Allies turn the tide in the Battle of the Atlantic. March 1943 is often used used as the turning point.
Many factors were involved in the Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic, one being an increased number of escort vessels, some being small escort aircraft carriers that could accompany convoys through the mid-Atlantic zone that was out of reach of long range patrol aircraft. |
The sinking of German submarine U-175 by USCGC Spencer, 17 April 1943
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Sources for the Battle of the Atlantic webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - the Battle of the Atlantic:
† Anderson, Elmer Dean, SN O-075023, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
- The webpage header photo Allied Convoy to Casablanca dates from early November 1942 and is courtesy of en.wikipedia.org and the National Archives.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic summarizes the Battle of the Atlantic.
- My chronological report WW II US Maritime Losses - The German War includes major American losses in the Battle of the Atlantic, as well as in the Mediterranean and the sea approaches to the European Theater.
- U-Boat Bases of the Second World War in France - https://www.uboat-bases.com/en/
- The Sinking of German Submarine U-175 photo is courtesy of the National Archives.
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - the Battle of the Atlantic:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
- Mediterranean and European theater maritime deaths are in the MTO Sea War and ETO Sea War webpages.
† Anderson, Elmer Dean, SN O-075023, US Navy, Montgomery Co.
- Destroyer USS Truxtun (DD-229); DNB 18 Feb 1942 Placentia Bay, near Argentia, Newfoundland; Truxtun & supply ship USS Pollux (AKS-2) lost on rocks in winter storm while on convoy duty returning from Reykjavik, Iceland; 110 dead from Truxtun & 99 dead from Pollux, 186 survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Attack Cargo Ship USS Almaack (AKA-19); KIA 15 Nov 1942 off Portugal; Almaack had participated in Operation Torch landings in North Africa and was in convoy to Great Britain when damaged by torpedo from German U-Boat U-155; four dead; Battle of the Atlantic.
- Q-ship USS Atik (AK-101); KIA 27 Mar 1942 off North Carolina; Atik sunk by German submarine U-123, 141 dead, no survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Tanker Pan Massachusetts fireman/wiper; KIA 19 Feb 1942, off Cape Canaveral, FL; Pan Massachusetts torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-128; 20 dead, 18 survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR
- Naval Air Scout Sqdn. VS-2 or VS-1D15, based at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone; Vought OS2N-1 Kingfisher BuNo 01408 pilot; DNB 5 Nov 1942 in Caribbean Sea NE of Cristobal, Panama Canal Zone; aircraft accident; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Leary (DD 158), Task Group 21.14, formed around the Escort Carrier USS Card (CVE 11); German reconnaissance aircraft spotted the task group in the North Atlantic on 24 Dec 1943 and the submarine wolfpack Borkum was ordered to attack; KIA 24 Dec 1943 at 45N, 22W, ~ 700 miles NE of Azores; submarine U-275 torpedoed and sank Leary; 97 dead, 59 survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- armed guard on SS Topa Topa enroute from Port of Spain, Trinidad in the Caribbean to Takoradi in today's Ghana, Africa; KIA 29 Aug 1942 350 miles N of Cayenne, French Guinea; Topa Topa sunk by two torpedoes from German uboat U-66; 18 crew & seven armed guards died, abt 35 survived; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- US Navy Armed Guard on tanker SS Gulfoil; KIA 17 May 1942 in Gulf of Mexico ~75 miles SW of Mississippi delta; Gulfoil sunk by torpedoes from German submarine U-506; of 40 men on board, ~19 survived; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Tanker USS Atlantic Sun radio officer; d. 15 Feb 1943 in North Atlantic, 150 miles off Cape Race, Newfoundland; Atlantic Sun torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-607, one survivor; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Brownson (DD-518); DNB 6 Apr 1943, Atlantic Ocean; lost overboard; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Destroyer USS Warrington (DD 383); DNB 13 Sep 1944 off Bahama Is., Atlantic Ocean; Warrington sank in 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane; 148 dead, 73 survivors; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.
- Submarine USS Dorado (SS-248); KIA 12 Oct 1943 in Caribbean Sea off Panama; Dorado disappeared, crew of 78 died, possibly sunk by German naval mine; Battle of the Atlantic BNR.
- Destroyer USS Ingraham (DD-444), fast convoy AT-20 from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada to Greenock, Scotland; DNB 22 Aug 1942 off Nova Scotia; Ingraham passed in front of oil tanker Chemung in dense fog; 11 survivors from crew of 208; Battle of the Atlantic; BNR.