Operation Drumbeat: The Dramatic True Story of Germany's First U-Boat Attacks Along the American Coast in World War II

News stories about the recent emphasized role of the Coast Guard as protector of US home waters, brought to mind this excellent book.This is the non-fiction story of the first six months of 1942's WWII along the ESF (Eastern Sea Frontier), which Adm King commanded. However, this is not a glowing account of King's command, rather a damning account of his failure to protect shipping along the Atlatic seaboard. This is described from the eyes of the commander of U-123, a real U-boat, a real captain, Reinhard Hardegen, and real events.The reason that the CG's current role in home waters defence brings this book to mind is that when 1942 opened on the ESF, among the ships available, there were only five along the whole coast, ready for offshore patrol. These were the 165 foot CG Cutter Dione, two 125 foot CG Cutters, a Navy Eagle boat and a converted yacht. Deja-vu!This is a salty tale, especially during U-123's passage across the far North Atlantic in January, to avoid detection. Icy spray, ice and contiuous damp are the lot of the crew both on and off watch, until they reach the calmer waters of Ambrose Channel and creep up to New York harbor, undetected, using only a tourist guide book of NYC as the chart and sailing directions.King failed to darken the coastline and aids to navigation for several months, not wanting to interfere with tourism and shipping. This made easy hunting for the five U-boats which participated in Doenitz' Operation Drumbeat.The information in this book came from heavy research by the author in German War Diaries, shooting reports, US documents and interviews with surviving crewment of U-123, including Hardegen.Besides the adventure of U-123 banging away down the coast from NYC to Mayport FL NOB, you learn a lot about British vs 1942 era US intelligence (deja-vu!), the Enigma machine, and a lot about the U-123 class subs and life aboard. There are insights as to why Hitler's dominance of the German Hig Command played a good part in losing the War. Also, how King disregarded Roosevelt's orders and was later rewarded by being named CNO (Chief of Naval Operations.)Even the large reference section is interesting reading. For example, I didn't know that the sub's fuel tanks were open at the bottom, like an inverted water glass. As the fuel is used up, it is replaced by sea water, helping maintain the sub's trim.

Operation Drumbeat is far, far from a dry history text. Though skilled writers can most the seemingly most arcane and esoteric aspects of history interesting, Gannon has written a riveting account of the first U-boat attacks along the US coast in World War II. Reading ever bit like a great Tom Clancy novel (or something similiar), Gannon puts you in the action as if you were on a U-boat, or the merchant ships that were hunted, or in Bletchley Park trying to figure out U-boat actions and intentions and warn the slumbering American merchant ships and port cities. Much of the work focuses on the actions of a representative U-boat from this operation, U-123 commanded by Captain Reinhard Hardegen. You follow him, his officers, and crew from their U-boat pens in occupied France as they sortie out into the stormy North Atlantic and engage in operations up and down the American coast, attacking merchant ships that were not prepared for a sudden Nazi assault, backlight by cities that were not apparently aware that a war was going on. Often in full view of major cities and beachgoers on vaction, Hardegen and other U-boat commanders sunk merchant craft in a period of extraordinary success for the German Navy.Gannon also chronciles the efforts to find and track the U-boats, both in war-weary and desperate British circles and in somewhat naive and arrogant American circles. Gannon paints an interesting contrast between the highly effective and dedicated British Naval Intelligence, working around the clock to amass as much information on each U-boat, right down to personal details on the commanders, and their American counterparts under Admiral King, who were unprepared and were slow to see the need to take countermeasures against the sudden attacks, at some points unsure of what to do, and slow to implement them. Gannon describes King as a man unconcerned and ill-prepared to deal with the Battle of the Atlantic. For all his heroics in the Pacific, King, accoring to Gannon, costs lives and equipment again and again in the war versus Hitler's submarines through inaction and poor action. A great book, highly recommended.

Reading Operation Drumbeat was similar to sitting in on one of Professor Gannon's lectures...gripping. As a student of Gannon's I found his lectures more like a great story and this goes for Operation Drumbeat as well. As a Florida resident with some history in St. Augustine (where Gannon witnessed a U-boat attack) I find it interesting to put myself in the place of those Americans who witnessed these attacks. If they were as suprised as I was just reading about it then it most have been quite a seen.

It did take me awhile to get into this book, but reads more like a novel than a 'history book' and I mean this as a compliment. Gannon spent a lot of time researching every possible aspect. Not only giving the German U-boat side, he also gives the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy perspective as well. This is important to realize how lax the American Navy was in the Atlantic, almost completely ignoring the threat until several thousand tons of shipping, boats, and lives were lost to U-boats. Cracking the Enigma coat was an extremely important to the Allies defeat and sinking of many U-boats. It is impossible to write an account of German U-Boats and not mention it. The amount of detail Gannon provides is nothing short of amazing. Operation Drumbeat is an excellent account and look at one U-boats patrols to the East Coast of North America, a nearly forgotten event in history.