Crew of U-550 abandoning ship 1944

Yesterday we posted about the possible discovery of a German WWII  submarine sunk in the Churchill River in Labrador, Canada. Now we have learned that the German World War II submarine U-550 has been located in the Atlantic, 70 miles south of the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

WWII German U-boat found off Massachusetts coast

The U-550 – located using side-scan sonar – is currently listing to its side in deep water approximately 70 miles south of Nantucket. 

Sonar operator Garry Kozak told reporters he spotted the the 252-foot submarine after two days of meticulous searching.

The U-550 was cruising off the east coast of the United States back on April 16, 1944, when it torpedoed the gasoline tanker SS Pan Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania was headed to the UK with 140,000 barrels of gasoline, along with a protective convoy of three ships – the USS Joyce, USS Gandy and USS Peterson. 



Although the U-boat attempted to evade detection by concealing itself under the sinking freighter, sailors on the USS Joyce managed to identify the German vessel and damage it by dropping depth charges. 


Forced to surface, the U-550 fired its deck guns at the American ships, while the USS Gandy returned fire and rammed the U-boat.

The USS Peterson subsequently struck the submarine with with two additional depth charges, forcing the German crew to abandon ship – but not before scuttling the U-boat with explosive charges.



Thanks to C. W. Rice for contributing to the post.