German Sabotage and Espionage in the United States During WWII

German Sabotage and Espionage in the United States During WWII

Larry Holzwarth - December 14, 2019

German Sabotage and Espionage in the United States During WWII
US Coast Guard Station at Amagansett, Long Island. americasroof via Wikimedia

6. U-202 went aground on the night of June 12-13 off Long Island

Captain Linder was able to dispatch his passengers to shore on the night of June 12, and then turned his U-Boat back towards the open sea. The waters in which he was operating that night are among the trickiest in the world, with cross currents and a shifting sea bed making operations near the shore particularly hazardous. To cover the landing, the Germans had selected a dark night. Linder was heading east when he felt the deck trembling beneath his feet as the submarine ran itself aground. He attempted to reverse his engines and back the submarine off of the mud, but it held the vessel in its grip.

Linder was aground on an enemy shoreline with the first lightening of the sky the morning of June 13, having just deposited four saboteurs on the same shore. The village of Amagansett was in view, and cars traveling along the shore road could be seen from his bridge. In another hour or so the long black shape of the submarine would be visible from the village. He was less than 250 yards from the shore. Fortunately for the Germans, the tide began to rise, and Linder backed his engines full, finally breaking free from the muck, and raced for the open sea. As far as he could tell, Linder had avoided detection. Unbeknownst to him, the party he had put ashore had not.

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