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RE: Sanitary Facilities?
Posted by: Tom Iwanski ()
Date: April 25, 2001 02:24PM

On the topic of living conditions and schnorkeling, there is a telling account of U-977 and it\'s marathon 66 days without surfacing. This trip was made just after the German surrender and was an attempt to get to Argentina in one piece and surrender under more favorable conditions (if not avoid surrendering altogether).

The skipper, Heinz Schäffer, wanted to be sure all torpedoes were accounted for upon surrender, and refused to discharge any of the loaded tubes. This meant that for 66 days the only way to get waste off the boat was through a small tube designed for launching flares (as it\'s been a while since I\'ve read the account, please correct me if I am mistaken on the use of this device). Every day, one unfortunate crewmember had the unpleasant task of putting excrement into empty tins that could then be ejected through the tube. Needless to say, this and the other unpleasantries of continued submergence and septic living conditions caused a real morale problem.

I think of the men who had to endure this on occasions when I feel like I\'ve got it tough.

Regards,

Tom

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Subject Written By Posted
Sanitary Facilities? Werner Frank 04/20/2001 01:25AM
RE: What, Sanitary Facilities? Rainer Bruns 04/20/2001 12:54PM
RE: What, Sanitary Facilities? joe brandt 04/20/2001 07:23PM
RE: What, Sanitary Facilities? Rainer Bruns 04/20/2001 09:15PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? kurt 04/20/2001 08:07PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Tom Iwanski 04/25/2001 02:24PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Rainer Bruns 04/25/2001 04:24PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Tom Iwanski 04/26/2001 12:12PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Ken Dunn 04/21/2001 12:41PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Werner Frank 04/22/2001 09:29PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Rainer Bruns 04/23/2001 12:46AM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? AL Wellman 04/23/2001 07:39PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Werner Frank 04/25/2001 02:12AM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? John R. 04/25/2001 01:11PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? Werner Frank 04/26/2001 05:17PM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? CAL 04/27/2001 10:33AM
RE: Sanitary Facilities? David W 05/05/2001 03:32AM
Re: Sanitary Facilities? Harvey 01/07/2002 10:37PM


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