Hi Larry

COAMO had participated in the Operation Torch, the Allied landings in North Africa and was due to return to the US from Gibraltar. As the ship was capable of maintaining a speed of over 16 knots she could have been routed independently, as such ships were deemed save from U-boat attacks. However, the Admiralty was aware of a large concentration of U-boats directly west of Gibraltar so they apparently decided to include the COAMO in the next fast UK bound convoy (MKF-3) and to detach her when the convoy reached its westernmost position in order to avoid those U-boats.

This routing instruction made sense, but COAMO was unlucky enough to cross the path of U-604 that was en route to join the patrol line of the wolf pack "Draufgänger" in the North Atlantic. Höltring was an experienced U-boat commander, who correctly predicted the path of the approaching ship and carefully positioned his U-boat to use the only chance he had for a successful torpedo attack on the fast ship.

Best regards
Rainer

Crew member of uboat.net