Looking Back @ May 9

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News 14 Carolina
May 09, 2006


Looking back in history on this day in 1942, the German submarine U-352 attacked the Coast Guard cutter Icarus off the coast of Cape Lookout.

Capt. Hellmut Rathke thought his torpedoes hit their target, so he ordered his crew to surface. A glance through the periscope showed the Icarus was intact, barreling in his direction. The sub dived, hoping to hide in the murky waters.

The Icarus' commander, Lt. Maurice Jester, ordered his crew to drop a series of depth charges. Large bubbles surfaced, revealing the U-boat's location. More depth charges followed, heavily battering the sub.

Rathke ordered his men to surface, don life jackets, and scuttle the sub. The Americans rescued 33 Germans, but one died on the way to Charleston Navy Yard.

Fifty years later, a dozen U-boat crewmen visited Morehead City to meet the Americans who sank their ship but saved their lives.


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