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Battle of Point Judith
Battle of Point Judith
Battle of Point Judith
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Battle of Point Judith
Part of World War II and Battle of the Atlantic

Sailors aboard USS Moberly firing on U-853.
DateMay 5–6, 1945
Location
off Point Judith, Rhode Island
41°21′00″N 71°28′01″W / 41.350°N 71.467°W / 41.350; -71.467
Result United States victory
Belligerents
United States  Germany
Strength
Sea
• Destroyer Ericsson
• 2 Destroyer escorts
USS Amick
USS Atherton
• Frigate Moberly
• SS Black Point
Air
2 blimps		 Submarine U-853
Casualties and losses
12 killed
Black Point sunk		 55 killed
U-853 sunk
Map

The Battle of Point Judith is the popular name for a naval engagement fought between the United States and Nazi Germany during World War II on May 5 and 6, 1945 - with Germany on the verge of total defeat and surrender, and Hitler having already died by suicide. American surface combatants and two blimps sank a German U-boat off Point Judith, Rhode Island in one of the last actions of the Battle of the Atlantic. The SS Black Point, a 368-foot, 7,500-ton coal ship, was sunk at the start of the Battle.[1]

Background

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U-853 was one of five U-boats dispatched in February 1945 for operations off the North American coast. By May 1945, she was only one of the February boats remaining active and was one of just six U-boats operating off the North American coast. On May 6, she was patrolling the coast off Rhode Island.

The SS Black Point (originally named SS Fairmont) was built in 1918 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey. The 5,353 ton collier ship was 112.35 meters long, with a beam of 16.82 meters and a draft of 9.3 meters. She was powered by 3 boilers that powered one 3-cylinder triple expansion engine that powered a single shaft to a single screw with 462 nhp. During World War I she served in the US Navy as the USS Fairmont. She was armed with one 6" deck gun and one 6-pounder deck gun. After WWI, she was renamed the SS Nebraskan by the C.H. Sprague & Son Corp.[2][3] By WWII, she was known as the SS Black Point. On May 6 she was en route to Boston, Massachusetts with United States Navy Armed Guard onboard to protect the ship.

Battle

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The Black Point on 22 September 1944.

President of the German Reich Karl Dönitz directed all U-boats to cease attacks on May 4, ahead of Germany's surrender. While most commanding officers obeyed this order, some either did not receive it or chose to ignore it.[4]

On May 5, U-853 was lying in wait off Point Judith when it sighted the SS Black Point. Two torpedoes from the U-boat struck the Black Point; one blew off the stern of the ship. Within 15 minutes, the ship capsized and sank in 95 ft (29 m) of water. The SS Black Point would be the last American-flagged merchant ship to be sunk in WWII. Of those aboard, 11 crewmen and one Navy guard died; 34 others were rescued by nearby vessels.[5]

A radio report about the torpedoing from one of the rescue ships, the SS Kamen, was picked up by US Navy's Eastern Sea Frontier command in New York and by the 1st Naval District in Boston. The nearest warships, which were under the command of Commander F. C. McCune, were part of Task Force 60.7 (TF60.7). The escort group consisted of destroyer USS Ericsson (Lt.Cdr CA Baldwin), destroyer escorts USS Amick (Lt.Cdr EL Barsumian) and Atherton (Lt.Cdr L Iselin ), and frigate USS Moberly (Lt.Cdr Tollaksen CG ). Ericsson was transiting the Cape Cod Canal with McCune on board when the summons came, so the remaining four ships headed for Kamen's location, with Tollaksen in temporary command.[6] They had been en route to Boston after escorting Convoy GUS 84 to New York. With the news of the sinking, they were immediately ordered to start a search and destroy mission against the submarine.

When the first ships arrived at Point Judith at 19.30, they began sweeping the area with their late-war Sonar equipment. U-853 was discovered bottomed in 108 ft (33 m) of water just after midnight. After the warships had made their first attack, oil was sighted on the surface, sparking the first series of claims that the U-boat had been destroyed. However, the ships continued to find contacts, so the attacks continued. McCune resumed overall command when Ericsson arrived in the early hours of the morning. Amick was detached to make a pre-arranged rendezvous, and reinforcements arrived later, comprising the destroyers Barney, Breckinridge, and Blakeley, the frigate Newport, the corvettes Action and Restless, and the auxiliary destroyer Semmes. These took up position around the search site to guard against the U-boat's slipping past the attackers.

Attacks continued through the night. At 0530, oil, planking, life rafts, a chart tabletop, clothing, and an officer's cap were spotted on the surface. Nevertheless, destruction of U-853 was not accepted by the command of the 1st Naval District in Boston so the hunt continued. By daybreak, the K class blimps K-16 and K-58 from Lakehurst, New Jersey joined the attack, locating oil slicks and marking suspected locations with smoke and dye markers. K-16 also attacked with six 7.2 in (180 mm) rocket bombs. Finally at 1207 Eastern Sea Frontier in New York accepted the destruction of the U-boat and the hunt was ended.[7]

Wreck

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Synthetic aperture sonar imagery of the German submarine U-853.

Later that day, US Navy divers from USS Penguin located the wreck of U-853 at a depth of 40 m (130 ft). Battle damage consisted of two hits to the submarine's pressure hull resulting in the death of all its 55-man crew. Evidence showed the U-853 had been destroyed at some point between midnight and mid-day on 6 May. During the 17-hour hunt, the warships from TF60.7 had expended 264 Hedgehog bombs and 95 depth charges; at least one ship was damaged by the concussion from the ordnance exploding in shallow waters. Many of the later attacks made by TF60.7 were so-called "tin-opener attacks" against the U-boat wreck in order to gain evidence of its destruction.

References

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Battle of Point Judith

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The Battle of Point Judith was a naval engagement fought between and ships and the German Type IXC/40 U-853 on May 5–6, 1945, in the waters of off , during the final days of in Europe. In a surprise attack, U-853 torpedoed and sank the American collier SS Black Point—carrying 7,600 tons of coal from New York to —killing 12 crew members, while 34 survivors were rescued. This incident marked the last sinking of a U.S. merchant vessel by a German in the war. The engagement began at approximately 5:40 p.m. on May 5, when U-853, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Frömsdorf on its first war patrol, fired a single torpedo that struck Black Point amidships, causing it to sink within about 20 minutes approximately three miles southeast of Point Judith lighthouse. Despite a cease-fire order from Admiral issued on May 4—which U-853 may not have received due to possible radio issues—Frömsdorf proceeded with the attack, possibly seeking personal glory. Survivors from Black Point reported the attack to nearby vessels, prompting an immediate response from U.S. 60.7, a hunter-killer group led by Captain F. C. McCune aboard the USS Ericsson (DD-440). On May 6, American anti-submarine ships—including the destroyer escorts USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Amick (DE-160), and the frigate USS Moberly (PF-63)—initiated a prolonged hunt using , depth charges, and mortars against the submerged U-853. The submarine rescue vessel USS Penguin (ASR-12) later assisted in locating the wreck. By around 10:45 a.m., Moberly's accurate attack and subsequent depth charges forced oil and debris to the surface at approximately 130 feet, confirming the U-boat's destruction with the loss of all 55 crew members; no bodies were recovered from the shallow wreck site, which was later designated a war grave. As one of the last naval actions of the —occurring mere days before Germany's on May 8—the battle underscored the persistence of isolated threats even as the European theater collapsed, while demonstrating the effectiveness of U.S. tactics in coastal defenses. The incident prompted heightened vigilance along the U.S. East Coast and contributed to the legacy of Point Judith as a key wartime lookout station, with its and battery fortifications playing a supportive role in the response.

Background

World War II U-boat Campaign off the U.S. East Coast

The German off the U.S. East Coast, known initially as Operation Drumbeat or Paukenschlag, commenced shortly after the entered in December 1941, with five Type IX submarines dispatched under Admiral Karl Dönitz's direction to exploit the lack of coastal defenses. These boats arrived in American waters by mid-January 1942, launching surprise attacks on unescorted merchant vessels in a region where shipping operated independently without convoys, radar surveillance, or effective blackouts. The operation's success stemmed from wolfpack tactics, where coordinated groups of submarines would shadow and ambush convoys or lone ships, sinking 25 vessels totaling 156,939 gross register tons (GRT) in the first wave by early February 1942. Over the subsequent six months, subsequent waves extended the campaign into the and , resulting in the loss of 397 Allied ships exceeding 2 million GRT, severely disrupting U.S. coastal shipping and contributing to broader strategic pressure on Allied supply lines. By early 1945, the campaign's effectiveness had sharply declined due to Allied countermeasures, including the widespread adoption of systems that protected merchant fleets, advanced for detecting submerged submarines, and patrols by blimps that extended aerial coverage over coastal waters. These advancements, combined with improved techniques such as mortars and , led to heavy losses; for instance, in alone, Gruppe Seewolf—a final offensive group targeting the U.S. East Coast—suffered multiple sinkings with minimal successes. The overall toll of the war, including operations off the U.S. coast, saw German submarines sink over 3,000 Allied merchant ships worldwide, though sinkings off in the war's closing months were rare and isolated, reflecting the campaign's desperate final phase. As the war in neared its end, Dönitz issued an order on , , directing all U-boats to cease offensive operations immediately, in anticipation of Germany's surrender. However, some commanders disregarded these instructions, continuing attacks in pursuit of personal or unit accolades amid the collapsing , as evidenced by isolated incidents off the coast. U-853, for example, continued operations in the region during her final patrol in early , disregarding the as part of a rogue effort.

Operations and Crew of U-853

U-853 was a Type IXC/40 constructed by AG Weser in , with her laid down on 21 August 1942, launched on 11 March 1943, and commissioned on 25 June 1943 under Helmut Sommer. This long-range measured 252 feet in length and displaced 1,120 tons surfaced, capable of reaching speeds of 18.3 knots on the surface and 7.3 knots submerged, with a maximum operational depth of approximately 230 meters. She was armed with six 533 mm torpedo tubes—four forward and two aft—carrying 22 torpedoes, along with a 105 mm equipped with 110 rounds for surface engagements, and anti-aircraft weaponry including a 37 mm gun. Her extensive range of 13,450 nautical miles at 10 knots on the surface enabled transatlantic operations, making her suitable for extended patrols in distant waters. Following initial training, U-853 conducted her first war patrol in spring 1944 under Sommer's command, but achieved no confirmed sinkings amid the intensifying Allied anti-submarine efforts. Sommer led the boat on her first patrol, which ended without successes, before handing over command amid crew rotations. The second patrol in late 1944 was led by interim commander Günter Kuhnke, also without successes. Brief interim commanders included Otto Wermuth and Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke in mid-1944, during which U-853 underwent modifications at , . By September 1944, 23-year-old Helmut Frömsdorf assumed full command for her third and final patrol, departing in February 1945 to target U.S. East Coast shipping despite the broader decline of the German . A pivotal action in U-853's operational history occurred on 23 , when, under Frömsdorf's leadership, she and sank the U.S. Navy patrol craft (PE-56) off , resulting in the deaths of 49 American sailors out of a crew of 62. The attack involved a single that struck amidships, causing a massive and breakup of the vessel during gunnery exercises; U-853 evaded immediate detection and counterattack by Allied forces in the area. This incident marked one of the last confirmed successes against U.S. naval targets, as Frömsdorf maneuvered the southward into American waters, operating rogue-like even as surrender negotiations loomed. U-853 carried a complement of 55 officers and enlisted men, many of whom were young and relatively inexperienced due to heavy losses in the Kriegsmarine's arm by 1945. Frömsdorf, seeking personal advancement through a notable wartime achievement, disregarded the German high command's order issued on May 4, 1945 by Karl Dönitz, continuing operations in a bid for one final "kill" that could secure his promotion. The boat's stealth was enhanced by a schnorchel device installed in July 1944, which allowed recharging while mostly submerged, reducing her vulnerability to air and surface detection along the East Coast.

Prelude

Final Voyage of SS Black Point

The SS Black Point was a 5,353-gross register ton (GRT) collier constructed in 1918 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, originally named Fairmont before being renamed and owned by C.H. Sprague & Son Company of Boston, Massachusetts. Designed for transporting coal along the U.S. East Coast, the steel-hulled steamship measured 369 feet in length with a beam of 55 feet, powered by a triple-expansion steam engine that drove a single propeller at speeds up to 11 knots. On her final voyage, she carried approximately 7,600 tons of bituminous coal destined for utilities in the Boston area, a routine cargo that underscored her role in supporting wartime industrial demands despite the impending Allied victory in Europe. Departing from on May 5, 1945, the Black Point proceeded unescorted northward through toward and , en route to —a journey of about 200 nautical miles expected to take roughly 24 hours under normal conditions. Captain Charles E. Prior, an experienced master with the Sprague line, opted to sail without protection, a decision reflective of widespread complacency in American maritime operations following news of Germany's deteriorating position, even as the voyage began just days before the official V-E Day announcement on May 8. This lack of escort, typical for short coastal runs by this stage of the war, left the vessel exposed in waters where isolated activity persisted unbeknownst to U.S. forces. The ship's company consisted of 41 civilian merchant mariners—comprising 8 officers and 33 unlicensed seamen—supplemented by 5 U.S. Navy Armed Guard personnel, totaling 46 aboard. Defensively, she was lightly armed with a single 6-pounder (57 mm) mounted aft for anti-submarine use, along with two .30-caliber machine guns for anti-aircraft protection, but lacked modern detection equipment such as or , relying instead on visual lookouts in the foggy conditions of early May. As part of the essential but unglamorous network of coastal colliers under War Shipping Administration oversight, the Black Point operated without awareness of lingering threats from rogue German submarines like U-853, which had positioned itself in the area to interdict traffic.

U-853's Approach to Block Island Sound

Following the sinking of USS Eagle 56 on April 23, 1945, off , German submarine , commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Helmut Frömsdorf, evaded pursuing Allied forces and commenced a cautious transit southward along the U.S. East Coast. The , a Type IXC/40 equipped with a refined snorkel apparatus, proceeded primarily submerged to minimize detection by Allied aircraft and surface patrols, utilizing the snorkel at night to recharge batteries and ventilate while running diesel engines. This method allowed for slow progress at an average speed of 4–7 knots, swinging wide around shoals such as those off before entering shallower coastal waters. By May 5, 1945, had positioned itself off near the entrance to , , in preparation for intercepting merchant traffic including vessels like the SS Black Point en route from New York to . Frömsdorf's tactical choices emphasized potential over safety, selecting waters just 30–100 feet deep despite the heightened risks of grounding on the or entrapment by pursuing forces in such confined areas. This positioning violated standard German naval guidelines requiring at least 200 feet of depth for evasion maneuvers, but it offered proximity to busy shipping lanes near U.S. naval bases at Newport and . To further evade patrols, U-853 remained submerged throughout daylight hours on May 5, relying on observations to monitor vessels passing through the sound. Environmental conditions in favored U-853's stealthy approach, with persistent fog, strong tidal currents, and variable water depths providing natural cover against visual and detection. These factors, combined with Frömsdorf's sweeps that confirmed active merchant shipping, enabled the U-boat to lie in wait without alerting nearby Allied assets. On the morning of May 5, however, Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz broadcast surrender orders to all s, directing them to cease hostilities and return to base; Frömsdorf either failed to receive the transmission or deliberately ignored it, as indicated by his logged intent to deliver a "final blow" against American shipping before the war's end. Allied intelligence at the time provided no specific warnings of rogue U-boats operating in vicinity, despite ongoing coastal patrols, allowing U-853 to maneuver undetected in the final hours before its engagement.

The Engagement

Torpedo Strike on SS Black Point

On May 5, 1945, at 5:40 p.m., the fired a single at the unescorted collier SS Black Point while the vessel was proceeding through in fog, approximately 5 miles southeast of . The struck the starboard side amidships near the , aft of the No. 5 hold, rupturing the and severing about 40 feet of the ship's aft section. This explosion ignited fires and caused rapid flooding, with water reaching waist-deep in the within one minute. The SS Black Point immediately listed heavily to starboard as the damage compromised its stability, forcing the crew of 46 to confront the chaos of flames and rising water. Captain Charles E. Prior, who had just lit a moments before the impact, quickly assessed the situation and ordered the crew to abandon ship. Eyewitness accounts from survivors, including gunner Stephen Svetz on the fantail, described a violent jolt that threw personnel forward amid the smell of and the roar of the blast, complicating efforts to launch lifeboats amid the encroaching fire and tilting deck. The crew struggled to deploy two lifeboats and a , with some men killed instantly in the or lost during the evacuation. Within 25 minutes of the strike, the Black Point capsized and sank by the stern in approximately 85 feet of water at coordinates 41°19′N 71°23′W. This attack represented the last sinking of a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel by a German during , occurring just two days before Germany's .

Initial Rescue Efforts

Following the torpedo strike on the SS Black Point at approximately 5:40 p.m. on May 5, 1945, Captain Charles E. Prior ordered the crew to abandon ship as the vessel began to flood rapidly. The explosion severed the stern, and the collier capsized stern-first within about 25 minutes, forcing the 46-man crew—consisting of 41 merchant seamen and 5 naval armed guards—into the water or onto hastily launched lifeboats and rafts, with 30 merchant seamen and 4 armed guards surviving. The nearby Yugoslavian freighter SS Kamen, which had witnessed the attack from roughly a mile away, immediately transmitted an at 5:42 p.m., notifying the U.S. and naval authorities while steaming to the scene to commence rescues. The SS Kamen retrieved 17 survivors directly from the oil-slicked waters of , including several who had swum to debris. A crash boat dispatched from picked up 15 more, transporting them to , while the Norwegian freighter SS Skandinavia saved the remaining 2, who were later transferred via vessels. Local stations at Point Judith activated small patrol boats, such as USCGC 83487 and others including 36354, 38344, 36383, 36400, 38679, and the buoy tender USCGC Hornbeam, to coordinate the transfer of survivors ashore by around 7:30 p.m. With no immediate sighting of the attacking , efforts prioritized lifesaving over anti-submarine action, though broader U.S. naval mobilization was underway. Rescue operations faced significant challenges from the encroaching darkness, scattered debris, and heavy oil slicks that hampered visibility and complicated searches. Twelve fatalities occurred—11 merchant crew members and 1 naval armed guard—primarily those trapped below decks in the destroyed stern section, where the torpedo detonated. Survivor accounts highlighted the chaos: Chief Engineer William J. O'Brien reported water surging to waist level in the engine room within a minute of the blast, while lookouts on the Black Point failed to spot the incoming torpedo, though the SS Kamen's pilot and engineer observed its wake streaking toward the collier. The successful launch of lifeboats from the Black Point proved critical, enabling many to avoid prolonged exposure in the cold Atlantic waters.

Hunt for U-853

Mobilization of U.S. Forces

Following the torpedo attack on the SS Black Point at approximately 5:40 p.m. on May 5, 1945, the Eastern Sea Frontier command in New York quickly activated anti-submarine patrols along the U.S. East Coast, diverting available ships from routine convoy escort and training duties to converge on the area. By 6:40 p.m., Task Group 60.7 received the alert via visual signal off the and immediately reversed course from their Boston-bound transit, arriving at the scene by 7:20 p.m. to initiate search operations. This rapid response was coordinated by the First Naval District headquarters, drawing on assets within the Eastern Sea Frontier to form an hunter-killer group amid the final days of the European war. Task Group 60.7, placed under the tactical command of F. C. B. McCune aboard the USS Ericsson (DD-440), a leader, assembled key vessels for the hunt. The core escorts included the Buckley-class escorts USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Amick (DE-168), both equipped with forward-throwing anti-submarine mortars, as well as the Tacoma-class patrol frigate USS Moberly (PF-63), which also carried hedgehogs for close-range attacks. Additional support came from U.S. cutters, such as the 165-foot Action-class cutters USCGC Action, USCGC Restless, and USCGC Newport, which joined the night search to extend coverage in the shallow coastal waters. The group's initial sweeps focused on a 10-mile radius around the Black Point wreck site, employing a scouting line extending south from Point Judith and barrier patrols from to nearby buoys. Aerial support augmented the surface effort, with Navy K-class blimps from Quonset Point Naval Air Station deploying at daylight on May 6 to conduct visual searches and mark potential oil slicks from the submerged U-boat. Sonar-equipped ships like the Ericsson, Atherton, and Moberly scanned for underwater echoes using ASDIC (Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee) technology, optimized for the challenging shallow-water environment of Block Island Sound, where depths averaged 75 to 100 feet. Depth charge patterns were pre-configured for low-depth releases, incorporating shallow-set magnetic explosives and hedgehog projectiles to counter the U-boat's likely evasion tactics in confined waters. This mobilization exemplified the U.S. Navy's evolved anti-submarine doctrine by late 1945, leveraging integrated surface, air, and sonar assets for rapid containment of rogue threats.

Depth Charge Attacks and Sinking

Following the initial mobilization of U.S. naval forces, the hunt for U-853 progressed from the evening of May 5 into May 6, 1945, as contacts were established around 8:00 p.m. on May 5 in the shallow waters east of . The USS Ericsson (DD-440) was the first to respond aggressively, dropping a pattern of that forced the to the at a depth of approximately 100 feet, where its maneuverability was severely limited due to the shallow terrain. This initial barrage damaged the submarine's equipment and marked the beginning of sustained tactics in the area. The primary assault intensified with the arrival of the destroyer escort USS Atherton (DE-169) and the patrol frigate USS Moberly (PF-63), which coordinated a series of attacks using advanced weaponry. Around 11:20 p.m. on May 5, Atherton unleashed 13 magnetic depth charges set to 75 feet, one of which detonated on contact, followed by two salvos of hedgehog projectiles and additional shallow-set depth charges. Moberly complemented these efforts with multiple hedgehog firings and depth charge runs, culminating in a joint "Killian" pattern attack that included 14 hedgehog projectiles and over 20 depth charges by midday on May 6. Attacks continued through the morning, with additional support from ships like USS Semmes around 11:00 a.m., and aerial blimps marking oil slicks. By 1:30 p.m., significant evidence of destruction surfaced, including oil slicks, air bubbles, and debris such as wood fragments, cork insulation, and life jackets, confirming severe damage to the U-boat. The sinking was declared at 12:07 p.m. Confirmation of the sinking came shortly thereafter when sonar from the escorts located the wreck at approximately 130 feet, allowing the ships to pass directly over the site without further resistance. The engagement occurred at coordinates 41°12′N 71°25′W, approximately seven nautical miles east of Block Island. No survivors emerged from the submarine, with all 55 German crew members perishing in the attack. This event marked the final combat sinking of a German U-boat in the Atlantic theater during World War II, as U-853 was forced to the shallow seabed and unable to escape the relentless barrage. Official U.S. Navy records attribute the kill jointly to Atherton and Moberly, recognizing their coordinated use of hedgehogs and depth charges as decisive.

Aftermath

Casualties and Survivor Accounts

The torpedo strike on the SS Black Point resulted in the deaths of 12 crew members out of the 46 aboard, including 11 merchant mariners and one member of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard, with four killed instantly by the explosion. Among the fatalities was Boatswain's Mate Stephen Spetz, aged 29, who was stationed on the fantail. These losses marked the final American fatalities from action on U.S. soil during , as the Black Point was the last U.S.-flagged merchant vessel sunk by a German submarine in the conflict. All 55 crew members of U-853 perished in the subsequent depth charge attacks, including commander zur See Helmut Frömsdorf. No survivors emerged from the , precluding any German firsthand accounts of the engagement. One body, that of 22-year-old seaman Herbert Hoffmann, was recovered by Walter F. Bockelman of the USS Moberly and given a with full honors. The 34 survivors from the Black Point provided vivid narratives of the chaos following the torpedo hit at approximately 5:40 p.m. on May 5, 1945. Captain Charles E. Prior recounted the sudden explosion severing the stern, causing the ship to list heavily and capsize within 25 minutes, forcing the crew to abandon ship into life rafts and boats amid cold waters off . Armed Guard gunner Stephen Svetz, the sole survivor from the fantail, described being hurled into the air by the blast before swimming to the forward section and being rescued. Other accounts highlighted the rapid evasion efforts, with crew members spotting the wake just before impact and scrambling to life-saving stations as the collier rolled over. These stories underscored the terror of the unexpected attack so close to the war's end, contributing to a psychological chill of among coastal mariners and communities in and . Rescue vessels, including crash boats from and the tugboat Calypso, retrieved the survivors shortly after the sinking. Nineteen were landed at Point Judith for initial treatment of injuries such as exposure, cuts, and concussions, while 15 more seriously wounded individuals were transported to the U.S. Naval Hospital in , for further care. Many survivors later reported long-term effects, including symptoms consistent with , stemming from the ordeal's intensity and the war's abrupt finality.

Immediate Investigations

Following the sinking of SS Black Point on May 5, 1945, U.S. forces initiated immediate investigations to confirm the perpetrator and assess the submarine threat in . A hunter-killer group under Francis C. B. McCune aboard USS Ericsson reviewed sonar logs from the attacking vessels, survivor testimonies from the 34 Black Point crew members rescued by multiple vessels including SS Kamen, and debris analysis including oil slicks and life jackets that indicated a U-boat's presence. These efforts verified that a German had conducted the torpedo attack, resulting in 12 fatalities among the Black Point's crew. On May 6, 1945, divers from USS Penguin (ASR-12) conducted an initial underwater inspection of the suspected wreck at approximately 41°13'32" N, 71°14'56" W, in 120 feet of water on a sticky mud bottom, 7.3 miles from Sandy Point, Block Island. The examination revealed a flooded Type IXC U-boat on an even keel, heading southeast, with significant damage forward of the conning tower including tears in the deck and pressure hull, while the bridge remained intact with 37mm and 20mm guns, two periscopes, and a search receiver. Hatches to the forward torpedo room, conning tower, and aft compartments were open, and the submarine was identified as U-853 through hull markings such as "DRUCKW WANIER TRIEBOLOTO BLA" and "4VORN." Divers noted intact torpedo tubes covered in galvanized metal, torpedo tracks suitable for mines or robot bombs, and recovered artifacts including a German flare gun, life preserver, and yellow stowage sacks; one body, that of Herbert Hoffmann (service number U02817/41S), was extracted from the conning tower, where his watch had stopped at 5:50, with additional bodies observed on the deck and bridge. Further dives on May 7 confirmed the wreck's identity and condition, with no successful recovery of the U-853's logbook or documents that might explain the commander's decision to attack despite Germany's cease-fire orders issued on May 5. Intelligence analysis linked the submarine directly to the Black Point sinking via the timing and proximity of the wreck to the attack site, contributing to reports on the final U-boat operations in U.S. waters. A follow-up inspection deemed major salvage unfeasible due to the wreck's depth and structural instability. The SS Black Point wreck site, located in 85 feet of water two miles southeast of Point Judith, was promptly marked as a navigational hazard to prevent collisions. In the immediate aftermath, the surrounding area was secured by naval patrols, with temporary restrictions on fishing and maritime traffic to mitigate risks from the ongoing hunt; longer-term warnings for , including depth charges and hedgehogs from the engagement, were issued to civilian vessels.

Legacy

The Wrecks as War Graves

The wreck of the SS Black Point lies broken in two sections in approximately 100 feet of water, about 3.75 miles southeast of , at coordinates 41°18'55"N 71°25'33"W. The 369-foot bow section rests upside down, while the section (severed by the ) lies upright approximately 0.25 miles away, with its cargo scattered across the ; the hull sections remain otherwise largely intact despite the damage during its sinking on May 5, 1945. As the site of twelve fatalities (four killed instantly), including one from the Naval Armed Guard, it is recognized as a war grave under U.S. law, prohibiting disturbance or salvage to honor the deceased. The lies intact and upright in 130 feet of water, approximately seven miles east of , , with its bow elevated slightly above the stern at coordinates 41°13'48"N 71°24'12"W. The 252-foot Type IXC/40 , sunk on May 6, 1945, features visible damage from depth charges and hedgehogs, including ruptures in the pressure hull, yet retains much of its structure, with the extending to about 100 feet and the prominent on the seafloor. Its propellers were unlawfully removed in the post-war period for display in museums, alongside other artifacts like the , highlighting early threats to the site's integrity. Designated a war grave since the early under U.S. , it protects the remains of all 55 crew members lost in the sinking. Preservation efforts for both wrecks involve monitoring by the U.S. Navy and agencies like NOAA to assess structural integrity and prevent unauthorized access, with dive restrictions enforced to respect their status as gravesites containing human remains. The U-853, in particular, attracts experienced recreational divers drawn to its historical features, though penetration and artifact removal are prohibited, and currents often limit visibility. These sites have supported , including surveys in 2018 that mapped the U-853's layout and a 2015 expedition that documented its condition with German embassy approval. Environmentally, both wrecks exhibit ongoing corrosion, with the U-853 showing deterioration in its hull plating and marine growth on internal components like engines and hydroplanes, though the overall structures remain stable. Scattered ordnance, such as expended depth charges from the hunt for U-853, litters the surrounding seabed, posing hazards while preserving evidence of the engagement. Public access to coordinates is available for educational purposes, but entry is strictly prohibited to avoid desecration, with the sites serving as focal points for non-invasive archaeological studies rather than recreational exploitation.

Commemoration and Historical Significance

The Battle of Point Judith holds a pivotal place in World War II naval history as the final engagement involving a German U-boat in the Atlantic theater, occurring on May 5–6, 1945, and effectively ending the submarine threat to the U.S. East Coast after years of intense anti-submarine warfare efforts. The sinking of the SS Black Point by U-853 represented the last American merchant vessel lost to a German torpedo in the war, underscoring the persistence of rogue operations even as Allied victory loomed. This event highlighted the effectiveness of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard tactics, including depth charges and hedgehog mortars, in neutralizing the remaining U-boat presence near American shores. Commemoration of the battle centers on memorials that honor both American and German participants, reflecting a shared recognition of wartime sacrifices. The twin propellers from U-853, recovered in the and formally donated by the German government in 2005, are on permanent display at the U.S. Museum in , symbolizing the end of U-boat operations and serving as a tangible link to the conflict. A plaque dedicated to the SS Black Point and its crew stands at the Point Judith Coast Guard Station, commemorating the 12 lives lost as the final victims of action in the Atlantic. Annual ceremonies, including services led by German naval officers, take place at the and the Island Cemetery Annex in Newport to honor the German crew, particularly sailor Herbert Hoffmann, who was buried there after washing ashore. The wrecks of U-853 and the Black Point remain protected war graves off , occasionally referenced in dives and historical tours. The 80th anniversary in 2025 was marked by events including a at the Barrington on May 13 and renewed media coverage, highlighting the battle's enduring lessons. The 75th anniversary in 2020 drew renewed attention to the battle's lessons on rogue dangers, with public programs and publications emphasizing the risks of incomplete cease-fire compliance in the war's closing days. Books such as The Last Battle of the Atlantic: The Sinking of the U-853 by Capt. Bill Palmer (2012) provide detailed accounts, contributing to broader understanding of late-war tactics. The battle's timing—hours after a German cease-fire order on May 5 but before the formal surrender on May 8—reveals potential command breakdowns, as U-853's captain, Frömsdorf, proceeded with the attack despite directives to halt offensive actions. In educational contexts, the battle serves as a in naval academies and museums, illustrating the perils of complacency in and the importance of rapid mobilization against isolated threats. Artifacts at the Naval War College Museum facilitate instruction on WWII naval strategies, while the event's documentation in official histories reinforces its role in training modern officers on operational vigilance.

References

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