U530 Submarine: The One that Surrended in Mar del Plata

U530 Submarine

Type IXc/40

Ordered: 15-08-40
Job number: 345
Shipyard: Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg-Finkenwärder
Laid down: 08-12-41
Launched: 28-07-42
Baubelehrung: 8.KLA, Hamburg
Commissioned: 14-10-42
Feldpost: M 49 518

Destiny

• 10.42 - 02.43 in 4.U-Flottille, Stettin as Ausbildungsboot
• 03.43 - 09.44 in 10.U-Flottille, Lorient as Frontboot
• 10.44 - 05.45 in 33.U-Flottille, Flensburg as Frontboot

Commanders

• 14.10.42 - __.01.45: KL Kurt Lange
• __.01.45 - 10.07.45: OL Otto Wermuth

Record

• 5 Patrols. 2 sunk ships (12.063 tn) 1 damage.

Patrol	Comnander	Date	Hour	Ship	Origin	Type	Tonnage	Position	Method
1a	Lange	09/03/43	21:36	SS.Milos	Swedish	Steam merchant	3.058	AL1763	Torpedo
1a	Lange	05/04/43	22:11	MV.Sunoil	American	Motor Tanker	9.005	AK2521	Torpedo

Patrullas

1st Patrol

She left Kiel on 20 February 1943 for the North Atlantic.
U-530 was to form part of Group Neuland, located west of Ireland. On 7 March 1943, U-530 and ten other U-boats in the patrol line's northern section were sent to the northwest as Group Ostmark. The U-boats formed a patrol line from the 8th ahead of convoy SC121. This convoy had been sighted by U-405 on the 6th south of Greenland.
17 U-boats from Groups Wildfang, Burggraf, and Neptun operated against convoy SC121, apart from Group Ostmark. On the afternoon of the 9th, U-530 sank a straggling merchant ship from the convoy, the SS. Milos (Swedish 3,058 tons). Twelve ships of the convoy would be sunk and another damaged in the operations that would end on the 11th south of Iceland.
The Ostmark Group would be enlarged with the arrival of new U-boats and with three more from the Burggraf Group and would be renamed the Stürmer Group. The new Group would be located from the 14th in the central area of the North Atlantic to operate against convoys SC122 and HX229. In the operations against this convoy, a total of 21 Allied ships would be sunk, on the other hand, the U-384 would be lost. In the attacks, on the 17th, the U-530 would be damaged in a depth charge attack carried out by the destroyer HMS Beverley.
The U-530 and another six U-boats that had been part of the Stürmer Group would form the Seawolf Group, which would be joined by other recently arrived U-boats. On the 25th they were situated south-east of Cape Farewell and south of the patrol line deployed by Group Seeteufel. Both groups were waiting to intercept convoy SC123. From the 26th the patrol lines of Groups Seewolf and Seeteufel would overlap, thus extending the patrol line to 800 miles south of Cape Farewell.
U-305, situated at the northern end of the Seawolf line, sighted convoy HX230 on the 27th. U-530 was one of twenty-two U-boats detached from the two groups to harass convoy HX230. However, due to a strong storm which would develop into a hurricane on the 28th and air escorts arriving in the area on the 29th, the U-boats would not have much success. The operation would end on the 30th, when contact with the convoy was lost, with only one Allied ship sunk.
On the 4th of April, U-530, already returning to base, sighted convoy HX231 and notified Group Löwenherz. On the afternoon of the 5th, U-530 sank a straggler from this convoy, southeast of Cape Farewell, it was the tanker MV Sunoil (American 9,005 tons) that had been torpedoed ten hours earlier by U-563. Between the 11th and 13th of April, U-530 would form part of Group Lerche to attack convoy HX232, all of which would be repelled by the escorts. The operation would end on the 13th west of Ireland. The U530 would arrive at its new base in Lorient on April 22, 1943.

2nd Patrol

It left Kiel on May 29, 1943 towards the Central Atlantic.
On June 14, on its way to its area of ​​operations, it would be ordered to head southwest of the Canary Islands to perform U-Tanker duties. In mid-June it would resupply the U172, U572 and U759 so that they could continue operating and the U180 that was returning to the base.
U-530 arrived in Bordeaux on 3 July 1943.

3rd Patrol

She left Bordeaux on 21 September 1943 and arrived in La Pallice on 21 September 1943.

4th Patrol

She left La Pallice on 27 September 1943 and returned on 29 September 1943.

5th Patrol

She left La Pallice on 3 October 1943 and returned on 5 October 1943.

6th Patrol

She left La Pallice on 17 October 1943 to operate in the Caribbean.
In early November U-530 was resupplied by U-488 east of Bermuda. U-530 entered the Caribbean on the 21st via the Martinique Channel. The U-530 would patrol off the Gulf of Darien where it would unsuccessfully attack an oil tanker near San Blas. On December 26th it would torpedo and damage the turbine tanker Chapultepec (American 10,195 tons) northeast of Nombre de Dios, Panama. Three days later the U-530 would be damaged after being rammed by the tanker Esso Buffalo, due to the damage and breakdowns the U-530 would begin the return to base.
The U-530 would arrive at Lorient on February 22nd, 1944.

7th Patrol

It left Lorient on May 22nd, 1944 for the Caribbean.
On the evening of 23 June U-530 rendezvoused with the Japanese submarine I-52 off the Cape Verde Islands. U-530 supplied the Japanese submarine with a new radar system and two German technicians to operate it and a Japanese-speaking pilot to take I-52 to Lorient. Shortly after the rendezvous I-52 was attacked by an Avenger aircraft of VC-69 (Lt-Cdr J. Taylor) from the carrier USS Bogue. The carrier which was searching for U-530 had intercepted a transmission referring to the rendezvous with the submarine.
.

U530 surrendered in Mar del Plata

The KL. Wermuth would take the U 530 southwards, arriving at the Mar de la Plata (Argentina) on 10 July 1945.
The crew of the U 530 would be interned and the U 530 would be handed over to representatives of the US Navy in Buenos Aires.
The U 530 would be used as an experimental submarine and would be sunk by a torpedo launched by the American submarine USS. Toro in some exercises on 28 November 1947 northeast of Cape Cod.

The Tale Behind the Painting

In the quiet vastness of the mid-Atlantic on June 23rd, 1944, a secretive exchange unfolds. The Type IXC-40 U-Boat, U-530, eases away from the Japanese C3 Class submarine, I-52, as two Japanese sailors in a rubber dinghy return to their vessel. The scene is shrouded in mystery and intrigue—surely, something clandestine is afoot. And, as history would later confirm, there indeed was.

I-52, later dubbed "Japan's Golden Submarine," was on a perilous mission, code-named "Momi," meaning "Evergreen" or "Fir Tree" in Japanese. Her destination was Lorient, a key port in German-occupied France. This was the maiden voyage of this brand-new C3-class submarine, and she carried a cargo of immense strategic value: essential raw materials like rubber, several civilian engineers and technicians lending their expertise to the Germans, nearly one hundred crew members, and, most tantalizingly, two tons of gold.

As dusk settled on that fateful June evening, the I-52 met with the German U-530. The Germans transferred a "Naxos" radar installation, along with two technicians to operate it and a pilot to guide the submarine safely to Lorient. With their mission complete, the two submarines parted ways, disappearing into the night.

Kapitäleutnant Kurt Lange, commander of the U-530, wisely decided to submerge and continue his patrol toward the Caribbean. In contrast, Commander Uno Kameo of the I-52, perhaps lulled into a false sense of security by the moonless night, chose not to.

But unbeknownst to both captains, Allied forces had been tracking them. Within hours, aircraft from the remarkably successful USS Bogue located the Japanese submarine. Relentless depth charges and torpedoes sent the I-52 to her watery grave, claiming the lives of 109 Japanese sailors and three German crew members.

In 1995, American explorer Paul Tidwell finally discovered and filmed the wreck of the I-52, sparking a new chapter in this tale—one that continues to unfold. Today, the site is recognized as an official Japanese War Grave.

And what of the two tons of gold? They remain untouched, still "up for grabs"—though any treasure hunter would be wise to consult Tidwell, the Japanese government, and a few others before making a claim.

And the U-530? She emerged unscathed from the war. After another year of service, she sailed into Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1945, surrendering to neutral authorities without a scratch.

U-Historia

Malvinas: Argentine Troops had Orders not to Kill on April, 2nd

'We had orders not to kill'

Poder Naval

What was the recovery of the Malvinas like from the perspective of an Argentine military officer?

 

Jacinto Batista is the symbol of the reconquest of the Malvinas Islands by the Argentines on April 2, 1982. Jacinto told his story to journalist Guido Braslavsky, from the newspaper Clarín, on April 1, 2002.

He was wearing a wool cap. His face was blackened with combat paint. He carried the weapon close to his body in his right hand and with the other arm he indicated to the English prisoners to remain in line with their hands raised. Jacinto Eliseo Batista is the protagonist of this photo above that traveled the world, becoming a symbol of the taking of Puerto Argentino, on April 2, 1982.

Twenty years later (the article was written in March 2002), approaching his 52nd birthday and less than two months after retiring after 35 years in the Navy, Petty Officer Batista lights his fourth cigarette on a humid morning in Punta Alta and affirms :“I am not homesick for the Falklands. It was a stage in my life and my career. I received an order and followed it. "That's what the State pays me for.".

Probably not all members of the Amphibious Command Group that surrendered to the British behave in the same way as this Columbus-born man, who says he has no interest in returning to the Falklands as a guest or tourist. However, he affirms that “if the State tells me to recover them again I will be there.” Because, like all elite soldiers, Batista is made of a special wood. Amphibious commandos are at the same time divers, paratroopers, commandos and reconnaissance specialists on land and water. They learn to endure everything. They are soldiers trained for war, the exact opposite of many young people who did not choose the Malvinas as their destination, nor do they live in a war and die in it.

Maybe that's why Batista was never afraid. Not even at the beginning when they embarked in Puerto Belgrano aboard the frigate “Santísima Trinidad”, heading in an unknown direction, even with everyone's suspicion that a real operation was being carried out in the Malvinas.

“As soon as we were on the high seas, they gave us the necessary guidance to carry out the mission. We disembarked on April 1, shortly after 9:00 p.m. I was the boat's guide and, from the shoreline, the explorer. We only had night vision equipment and I was the one wearing it, who was ahead for about 200m.”

“We were sure that the English were not expecting us. We walked all night. The targets were the Royal Marines barracks and the governor's house. We had orders not to kill, because the plan was possibly to take the islands and negotiate a withdrawal.

“We separated into two groups. I went to the barracks, but I didn't find anything because the marines were outside guarding the targets. There we raised the Argentine flag for the first time. The group that went to the governor's house, however, encountered resistance and constant shots were heard. “It was almost daylight and the resistance persisted. The first Englishman I met was a sniper with a Mauser rifle. I took it apart. When we met at the house, the situation was almost under control.

The only casualty in this action – the first death of the war – was Captain Pedro Giachino. “When I arrived I was hurt. He had entered the house and, upon leaving, he was knocked down by a soldier who was behind a nearby tree line. I asked him: “What happened to you, Pedro,” and I touched his head. He was conscious, but very pale, he had lost a lot of blood and was dying.

Batista does not remember at what point during that frenetic day the photographer Rafael Wollman took a photograph with the English prisoners. He knows, however, that this image is a relentless portrait of the old imperial lion's wounded pride. “On June 14, they had to look for me to take a photo with my arms raised,” he imagines with a smile.

But the cable was not in Puerto Argentino on the day of the fall: “On April 2 we returned to the continent.” Batista never returned to the islands, but this almost happened when an infiltration mission was planned during the British landing, but the Hercules that would carry them suffered a breakdown on the runway.

“The British were no better than us. They had more means and more support. From Americans and Chileans. But if Argentina had had the firm conviction to fight…” says Batista, leaving the phrase in the middle, like a question.

Source: Clarín

Malvinas/Falklands War: The Last Moments of June, 14th in Puerto Argentino

The Malvinas conflict reached its conclusion on June 14, marked by intense hand-to-hand combat, heroic resistance, and the British apprehension towards Argentine aviation.

During the final hours, tense negotiations took place between the Argentine and British forces. General Galtieri issued orders to Menéndez, which were met with defiance. The British harbored bitterness over the relentless air attacks they faced and the battles that etched themselves into history as some of the most valiant displays of courage exhibited by the Argentine troops.

By Adrián Pignatelli || Infobae

General Mario Benjamín Menéndez was the governor. In this photo he addresses troops in Darwin on May 25, 1982. (AP)

During the initial days of June, the English initiated efforts to establish a ceasefire, using the radio telephone at the "King Edward" hospital, a facility frequently used by the islanders for medical consultations. On June 6, a call was answered by Dr. Alison Bleaney, who was initially skeptical and almost dismissed it as a prank. However, it turned out to be a British staff officer trying to communicate with the Argentine authorities.

Dr. Bleaney relayed the message to Commodore Carlos Bloomer Reeve, the Secretary General of the Interior, through a messenger. Governor Mario Benjamín Menéndez was then informed of the communication, and he appointed Navy Captain Barry Melbourne Hussey to listen to the British message without answering any questions. The message from the British was an attempt to find common ground for ending the hostilities.

Both parties agreed to communicate daily at 1:00 p.m. until the 12th of June.

The final hours of the war are renowned for showcasing the greatest display of Argentine resistance.

Mount Longdon was the scene of a dramatic combat by soldiers from the 7th Regiment. (AFP)

Starting from June 9, the British intensified their artillery fire. Subsequent battles occurred between the 11th and 13th at strategic locations, namely Mount Harriet, Mount Longdon, Two Sisters, Mount Tumbledown, and Wireless Ridge. These battles formed the final defensive line before reaching Puerto Argentino.

During the combats at Mount Harriet and Mount Two Sisters, the British forces encountered formidable resistance. A skilled sniper managed to impede the advance of a Royal Marines company for hours, while another company from the 45th also faced significant opposition on the slopes of Two Sisters. The tenacious resistance demonstrated by the Argentine troops earned admiration from the enemy.

Jeremy Moore, the British commander. The day before the surrender he saved his life in an air raid.

A grueling battle took place on Mount Longdon, resulting in a significant number of casualties. The British forces had to push forward with fixed bayonets, and once they reached the summit, they had to defend against two Argentine counterattacks. The 7th Regiment's C Company, consisting of a platoon of 46 men, forced the English B Company into a withdrawal.

The severity of the conflict was evident in the numbers: out of the 278 men in the "Maipú" Company, only 78 managed to withdraw after enduring twelve hours of combat against the 3 PARA. The British forces suffered 23 killed and 70 wounded.

On Saturday, June 12, at half past 3, history witnessed the launch of an MM-38 Exocet missile from a ramp near the Puerto Argentino airport. The missile was directed at HMS Glamorgan, a British ship responsible for nightly bombardments of the capital. The shot proved successful, hitting the ship's deck and rendering its electronic devices inoperative.

The Tumbledown combat, June 13, 1982. Painting by Steve Noon, British artist.

On the 13th, approximately twenty air missions were conducted over British positions. During an air raid on his camp at Mount Two Sisters, Commander Jeremy Moore miraculously escaped with his life.

On the same night, around 50 Scottish soldiers launched an attack on the base of Mount William, leading to an order for the Argentine defenders to withdraw. Additionally, a British speedboat raid on the Camber Peninsula, north of the Puerto Argentino roadstead, was repelled before midnight.

In the early hours of June 13, a section of the Amphibious Engineer Company withdrew from the northwest of Mount Tumbledown and headed towards the command post of Marine Infantry Battalion 5. At three in the morning, amidst a snowstorm, a fraction of them, along with members of the Amphibious Engineer Company and a section of riflemen from the Company of the 6th Infantry Regiment, prepared to counterattack the west side of Mount Tumbledown. Two hours later, the Nácar Company attempted to regain control of the mountain. A counterattack ensued, resulting in half a dozen Scotsmen being wounded. However, facing heavy enemy fire, General Menéndez authorized the withdrawal of the forces.

Pilots, mechanics, technicians and soldiers of the M5 Dagger Squadron before one of the missions in Comodoro Rivadavia. The actions of the Air Force and Naval Aviation pilots were the greatest concern of the British.

During the battle of Wireless Ridge, the 7th Regiment's trenches endured a relentless onslaught of nearly 6,000 shells fired by British artillery. Initially, the English forces took control of the northern sector, and two companies, which had been engaged in combat since the previous day, made their way towards Moody Brook while facing the relentless barrage of British cannons.

Despite the valiant efforts of the Argentine troops to hold their ground, the British advance persisted. With the support of light tanks, the British infantry managed to reach their positions and encircle the troops from BIM 5. On the southern slope of Wireless Ridge, approximately 40 men from A Company of Regiment 3 courageously launched a counter-attack against soldiers from Para 2.

As dawn broke on the 14th, the surviving soldiers from the battle at Wireless Ridge regrouped and formed a defensive line near Felton Creek. About 50 survivors from the 7th Regiment launched a counter-attack against Moody Brook Barracks, which was already under British control. However, they were met with fierce artillery fire and had to retreat. The British were impressed by the resolute attitude displayed by the Argentine forces.

Some of the soldiers of Regiment 3 who staged one of the last counterattacks of the war.

The Air Force executed its final mission: deploying two Canberra and two Mirage bombers to attack British positions at Furze Bush Pass. Tragically, one of the Canberras was shot down during the operation.

At 6 o'clock in the morning, the Argentine artillery opened fire towards the top of Wireless Ridge, aiming to halt the advance of the British paratroopers. The artillery provided cover fire to facilitate the retreat of the Argentine soldiers. An hour later, the British forces gained control of Tumbledown, and helicopters fired missiles at the Argentine artillery near Moody Brook.

Amidst the withdrawal, a second lieutenant and 21 gunners from the 4 Airborne Group remained behind to operate the last piece of artillery, which they used to engage British paratroopers. However, they were forced to withdraw when a shell got stuck.

At that moment, Carlos Robacio, the commander of BIM 5, defied two withdrawal orders and continued fighting.

In the war's final engagement, a section of the Sea Company from BIM 5 successfully disabled two British Sea King helicopters. BIM 5 completed its withdrawal by 3:00 p.m., marching at an accelerated pace through the streets of Puerto Argentino, with the troops remaining in possession of their weapons. They aimed to regroup and prepare for urban combat.

Commander Carlos Robacio was the commander of the 5th Marine Infantry Battalion. On more than one occasion, he rejected the withdrawal order.

In his memoirs, Admiral Woodward recounted the dire situation during the war's final days: "We were stretched to the limit, with only three ships - Hermes, Yarmouth, and Exeter - functioning without major operational issues. 45% of our destroyers and frigates were incapacitated. The Andromeda's Sea Wolf was disabled, all the Brillant systems had various defects, and the Broadsword had one and a half weapon systems functioning, with one propulsion shaft permanently damaged. None of the 21 ships were fit for battle: the Avenger and Arrow were broken, and Olimpus turbines disabled, among other issues. It was a crumbling fleet."

"In this beautiful place, we have only one Sea Dart line of fire to protect the Etendards. Our convoys to and from the coast are 'escorted' by a semi-paralyzed frigate. The gun line, once consisting of four ships, is now down to two due to damages. The towing, repairs, and logistics area is 'protected' by the broken-down Glamorgan, and South Georgia is valiantly defended by the poor, broken-down Antrim and the formidable battleship Endurance."

The withdrawal of BIM 5 from Sapper Hill marked the end of General Jofre's planned resistance. Most factions abandoned their positions, walking towards Puerto Argentino, some alongside British soldiers who allowed them to retain their weapons.

Para 2 commanded Wireless Ridge, Para 3 Mount Longdon, 42 Commando Mount Harriet, and 45 Commando Two Sisters. The Scots Guards controlled Tumbledown, the Gurkhas were on Mount Williams, and the Welsh on Sapper Hill, with Puerto Argentino dominated by two English brigades.

Generals Menéndez and Jofre agreed that continuing the fight would only lead to more loss of life. Jofre stated, "This is not enough."

In the midst of a conversation with General Leopoldo Galtieri, the call was abruptly cut off by an English bombardment. Galtieri, at Casa Rosada, remarked, "It seems that Menéndez is giving up..." and asked to speak with him.

Menéndez's assistant was sent to communicate with the English troops and seek a ceasefire agreement.

Galtieri called again, demanding loudly that the soldiers leave their foxholes and counterattack. Menéndez explained that he lacked sufficient support, particularly from naval and air forces. Despite Galtieri's insistence to counterattack using troops from the 3rd and 25th regiments and the marine infantry, Menéndez refused, knowing the futility of such an action. Galtieri warned him that he would have to answer for his decision upon returning to the continent. Menéndez considered invoking United Nations Resolution 502, which called for Argentina to cease hostilities, withdraw troops, and negotiate, but Galtieri objected. Faced with difficult choices, Menéndez decided to "leave with honor."

A Gazelle helicopter from Fearless took off, carrying British Parliamentarians. They tied a white parachute cloth to its belly. The officers Bell, Reid, and a Spanish-speaking radio operator accompanied them.

As they walked towards the seat of government, Menéndez awaited them at the door. In the talks, Captain Melbourne Hussey was joined by Vice Commodores Carlos Bloomer Reeve and Eugenio Miari, a specialist in international treaties.

During the first meeting, the British expressed concern about Argentine aviation and called for their attacks to cease.

Until the last moment, Galtieri demanded that Menéndez counterattack with the forces available. He also did not want the governor to sign any documents. (Telam)

At 11 a.m., as snow began to fall, a ceasefire was reached. For the British, this was a stroke of luck as the troops who attacked Puerto Argentino were left with only six batches of ammunition; the rest had sunk with the Atlantic Conveyor.

Galtieri laid out his conditions: Menéndez should not sign any document, and the discussions should revolve around evacuation rather than surrender. Each man was expected to return in uniform, with his weapons, and the commitment was to be upheld with honor. Menéndez was taken aback by the order not to sign, knowing it would be an impossible request to fulfill.

Moore y Menéndez acordaron el alto el fuego. El gobernador exigió quitar la palabra "incondicional", de los términos de la rendición.

Each party retreated to confer with their superiors and agreed to reconvene later, this time with their respective leaders, during the night.

At 19:45, Jeremy Moore, the British forces commander, arrived by helicopter, visibly perturbed by the snowstorm they had to navigate through. He was accompanied by seven officers from his General Staff, the radio operator with direct communication to London, and a legal officer. In one hand, he held a document outlining the terms of surrender, and in the other, a bottle of whiskey.

The Argentinians declined to sign an "unconditional" surrender; they insisted that there would be no public surrender ceremony, that the officers would retain command over their troops, and they would keep their flags.

Moore's telegram announcing that it was all over.

Moore's main concern revolved around the airmen. The aviation action had resulted in the loss of 7 British ships, with 5 being rendered inoperative and 12 experiencing mechanical breakdowns. In response, they reached out to Brigadier Ernesto Crespo, who had proclaimed at the start of the war: "If anyone thought that the phrase 'defend the Homeland until losing your life' was merely rhetoric, this is the moment of truth." As the head of the air command, Crespo pledged to comply with the cessation of hostilities, although he made it clear that he was not surrendering.

After removing the word "unconditional" from the document and obtaining assurances from the air command, all obstacles were overcome. Menéndez then initialed the document, followed by Moore and a British officer as a witness.

Cover of the Clarín newspaper that gave an account of the ceasefire on the islands.

The ceasefire would begin at 23:59 on June 14. Menéndez requested authorization to meet with his General Staff but it was denied, informing him that he would shortly be transferred to “Fearless” as a detainee.

The war was over.

Sources: La guerra inaudita. El conflicto del Atlántico Sur, de Rubén Oscar Moro; 1982. Los documentos secretos de la guerra de Malvinas/Falklands y el derrumbe del proceso, de Juan B. Yofre; Los cien días. Las memorias del comandante de la flota británica durante la guerra de Malvinas, de Sandy Woodward; Una cara de la moneda. La guerra de Malvinas according tothe complete version of The Sunday Times Insight Team de Londres; newspaper from June 1982.