RKT Hermann Opdenhoff / 2 S-Boot Flottille Cherbourg

[WWIIBuff]

I am looking for any available info on RKT Kapitan Hermann Opdenhoff, and his unit the 2nd S-Boot Flottille operating around Normandy, probably from Cherbourg. Also/or any info on Schnellboots S-172, S-174, S-175, or S-187.

I've recently discovered these boats may have been responsible for sinking the LST-314 that my uncle was possibly killed on near Normandy on 6/9/1944.

We're trying to piece together what happened that night. I believe Opdenhoff was killed the following February.

Thanks

[RaymondG]

Hi John

I have had a quick look on the internet to see if I can find anymore information for you, as I do not have much in the way of information on Opdenhoff, other than his RK award date and a bit of information with that.

I did find this link which may be of some interest as a chap confirms that the S-Boat he commanded hit LST-314 as well as LST-376 from German records.

http://www.ww2f.com/atlantic-naval-c...lst-314-a.html

I have run a check on the date of his death and there was only one Hermann Opdenhoff and he died 22.03.1945.

If you need any more help on Opdenhoff, then please let me know

Best wishes

Raymond

[Larry deZeng]

I am looking for any available info on RKT Kapitan Hermann Opdenhoff, and his unit the 2nd S-Boot Flottille operating around Normandy, probably from Cherbourg. Also/or any info on Schnellboots S-172, S-174, S-175, or S-187.
I've recently discovered these boats may have been responsible for sinking the LST-314 that my uncle was possibly killed on near Normandy on 6/9/1944.
We're trying to piece together what happened that night. I believe Opdenhoff was killed the following February.
Thanks

John -

This may not be what you are looking for, but it will definitely give you some more data to chew on. Go to the web page linked below and then scroll down to the section indicated, which is just before you get to the halfway point down the page:

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/44-06.htm

6.– 13.6.1944
Kanal / Nordsee
Angriffsversuche dt. Überwasserschiffe gegen die Invasionsflotte.

According to this, LST 314 was sunk by four S-Boote from the the 4. Schnellbootsflottille, not the 2nd. The 2. Schnellbootsflottille was in transfer from Ostende to Boulogne and did not operate that night.

[In der Nacht vom 7./8.6. verlegt die 2. S-Flottille von Ostende nach Boulogne. Die 4. Flottille greift mit 8 Booten einen vom Zerstörer Beagle gesicherten Konvoi an. S 174, S 175, S 187 und S 172 melden Treffer auf Landungsfahrzeugen. LST 376 und LST 314 werden versenkt.]

Here is further proof of which Boote belonged to which S-Flottillen, this being taken from the operations report for the previous night. The four Boote responsible for the sinking of the two LSTs were from 4. S-Flottille operating from Boulogne.

[Die 4. S-Flottille (Kptlt. Fimmen) mit S 169, S 171, S 172, S 174, S 173, S 175, S 187 und S 188 läuft aus Boulogne aus, findet aber bis auf S 172, das einen Zerstörer mit Torpedos verfehlt, keine Ziele. — Die 2. S-Flottille (KKpt. Opdenhoff) mit S 177, S 178, S 179, S 181 und S 189 sowie die 8. S-Flottille (KKpt. Zymalkowski) mit S 83, S 117, S 127 und S 133 führen von Ostende aus einen erfolglosen Aufklärungsvorstoß in die südliche Nordsee.]

To find out exactly which S-Boote claimed LST-314, you would have to e-mail or write to the U.S. National Archives in WashDC and tell them you want to buy the RG 242/T-1022 microfilm roll ($65.) that has the KTB und Anlagen for the 4. S-Flottille for June 1944.

Hope you meet with success,

--Larry

[WWIIBuff]

S-Boote

Thanks Raymond but actually that is a link to my post on another forum about this same subject. I appreciate your help though.

Larry I read that same information before, but obviously I MISREAD it. Thanks for pointing it out, I may need to adjust my research a bit. The reason I say may is because now I am confused. I have found reference to 2. Flottille and Opdenhoff being involved from a couple other sources. In fact, that same website you linked me to seems to contradict itself. Here is a link to another page on the same site that appears to show Opdenhoff and 2nd Flottille resposible for sinking the LST-376 and 314.

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg...ot/serf-w2.htm

What do you think? I wonder if I'm still reading things wrong?

Actually the last information you gave me is the BEST! The role number from the archives. I was just there in May trying to research my uncle but did not have any info about the LST's at that time. I will call today and order that microfilm. We'll find out for sure that way.

Do you know where I should look (at the archives?) to find a manifest for the LST's or information on where they were launched from and who were on them? I still need that confirmation.

Thank you so much!

[Larry deZeng]

Thanks Raymond but actually that is a link to my post on another forum about this same subject. I appreciate your help though.

Larry I read that same information before, but obviously I MISREAD it. Thanks for pointing it out, I may need to adjust my research a bit. The reason I say may is because now I am confused. I have found reference to 2. Flottille and Opdenhoff being involved from a couple other sources. In fact, that same website you linked me to seems to contradict itself. Here is a link to another page on the same site that appears to show Opdenhoff and 2nd Flottille resposible for sinking the LST-376 and 314.

http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg...ot/serf-w2.htm
What do you think? I wonder if I'm still reading things wrong?
Actually the last information you gave me is the BEST! The role number from the archives. I was just there in May trying to research my uncle but did not have any info about the LST's at that time. I will call today and order that microfilm. We'll find out for sure that way.
Do you know where I should look (at the archives?) to find a manifest for the LST's or information on where they were launched from and who were on them? I still need that confirmation.
Thank you so much!

You are right, John, that indeed is a contradiction. I think you will need to unscramble this before ordering the microfilm, and I see you are already trying to do that on the Kriegsmarine sub-forum of Axis History Forum. You know Murphy's Law: if you order the roll for the 4. S-Flottille it will surely turn out to be the 2. S-Flottille on a different roll, or vice versa!

Regarding the LST manifests, I think you would have to consult with one of the Navy records specialists at NARA. That and an after-action casualty list of the men lost when the LST was torpedoed would be permanently retained records, but only a specialist at NARA could tell you in which record group they might be. The Navy Department certainly had a casualty section or branch, and its records would be a good possibility.

Best wishes for a successful hunt!

--Larry

[WWIIBuff]

S-Boote

Thanks again Larry. I was thinking about calling the guys at NARA but was not really sure what to ask for. You've pointed me in the right direction.

Do you happen to know the micro-film roll number for 2nd S-Boot Flottille? Maybe I'll just buy them both. It is still cheaper than flying all the way across the country to find out or paying a researcher.

[RaymondG]

John

I am in contact with a researcher who is doing some work for me.

If you PM me with the questions you have of NARA, then it may well speed things up for you if I ask my man and I will get back to you with some answers - hopefully.

Best wishes

Raymond

[Larry deZeng]

Thanks again Larry. I was thinking about calling the guys at NARA but was not really sure what to ask for. You've pointed me in the right direction.

Do you happen to know the micro-film roll number for 2nd S-Boot Flottille? Maybe I'll just buy them both. It is still cheaper than flying all the way across the country to find out or paying a researcher.

Microfilm Roll Numbers: I do not know either of the roll numbers, and they will have to look those up for you. They are in Record Group 242, Microcopy T-1022. Here is the full title:

CAPTURED GERMAN NAVY RECORDS MICROFILMED IN LONDON, ENGLAND, U.K.

 Records of the German Navy, 1850-1945, Received from the United States Naval History Division. Microfilm Publication T1022. 4,317 rolls.

The unpublished T-1022 inventory will have to be looked through by the NARA archivists to identify which roll numbers apply.

--Larry

[WWIIBuff]

S-Boot

You guys are awesome!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

[Simon O.]

I may be able to add a little more. The book 'Die Deutschen Schnellboote Im Zweiten WeltKrieg' by Gerhard Hümmelchen gives the same info about that night as Larry posted however it also includes lists of RK and DKiG holders of the S-boot branch which could help determine who was responsible.

S-174 Kptlt. Hugo Wendler, DKiG 4.Sept.44
S-175 Kptlt. Dietrich Buldau, DKiG 9 Jun.44
S-187 Kptlt. Helmut Dross, DKiG 15 Jun.44

I'll take a wild guess that Fimmen captained the S-172.

[WWIIBuff]

S-Boote

Thanks Simon. That sounds like a book I need to find.

I really hope to get the actual records from the National Archives. As we all know, one book or website could make an initial mistake and then everyone else unknowingly spreads the error or publishes it somewhere.

One of the other internet sources I found listed those same four boat as being responsible for the attact, but listed them as part of Opdenhoff's 2nd Flottille, not Fimmen's 4th. Possibly a complete contradiction.