From July 6-26, 2008, NOAA’s Office of National
Marine Sanctuaries in collaboration with East Carolina University, the
National Park Service, Minerals Management Service, UNC’s Coastal
Studies Institute, and the state of North Carolina will conduct an
underwater archaeological field expedition to the remains of vessels
from the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
The primary sites to be observed are the U-85, U-352, and the U-701
sunk in battle by American forces in engagements that proved to be very
important, but largely forgotten, parts of American history. This was
the closest theatre of war to the continental United States and one of
the only places in the world where one can visit remains of both Axis
and Allied vessels within recreational diving limits. These sites are
recognized as valuable cultural, historical, and economic resources for
the United States and the state of North Carolina.
USCGC Icarus (WPC-110), an Argo class patrol cutter sunk the U-352 in the waters off Morehead City, NC on May 9, 1942. The Icarus was the first US unit to capture German prisoners of War in WWII.(Photo: The National Archives)
It is the intent of this project to catalog the sites significance and
identify degrading impacts from both environmental and cultural
factors. From this project it is hoped that a holistic historical and
archaeological assessment of the resources will be obtained. This
preliminary investigation will serve as a baseline for future
monitoring of the sites as cultural and economic resources as well as
future research.
The archaeological methodology will consist primarily of documenting
the sites by generating detailed site plans, plan and profile
photo-mosaics, recording diagnostic hull features, intensive video and
photo documentation, and documentation of ordnance and artifacts in situ.
Due to the sites’ dynamic environment and the nature of this
non-invasive survey, permanent baselines will not be established at the
sites. All measurements will be taken from known structural
features on the U-boats’ intact hull (conning tower, deck gun,
hatches, etc.) and then compared to historic engineering plans from the
U-boats’ original construction. Divers will be assigned
specific sections along the hull aft and forward of the conning tower
to document, which will be compiled to create an overall site
plan. Simultaneous with the site mapping, a photographic/video
survey will be conducted to create photo-mosaics and document
artifacts, ordnance and diagnostic features of the site. This
photographic/video documentation will include the outer hull structure,
diagnostic structural features such as the conning tower, deck gun,
hatches and torpedo tubes, and any damage or degradation to the hull
structure, as well as artifacts and ordnance in situ.
USS Roper (DD-147), a Wickes-class
destroyer, sank the U-85 on April 14, 1942 off the coast of Nags Head,
NC. The U-85 was the first U-boat to be sunk in US waters during WWII. (Photo: The National Archives)
This is part one of a multi-year project. Though this
year’s focus is on U-boats due to concerns over looting, Allied
vessels lost during the Battle of the Atlantic are also a primary
objective of the study. They will be the focus of subsequent research
and field work; however, some Allied vessels will be visited during
this year’s field expedition in order to formulate a similar
document for future projects.
It is important to note from the beginning that this expedition will respect the sites of U-85, U-352 and U-701
as war graves. Despite the fact they were enemy vessels when sunk, we
will exhibit the same respect for human remains as we would expect for
American vessels sunk in foreign waters. As such, no penetration or
invasive survey techniques will be used during the project and all
diving practices will be undertaken with the utmost sensitivity.
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