German U-boat surrenders in Delaware Bay
The eyes of the country were on Fort Miles in May 1945 when a German U-boat carrying 61 officers and crew surrendered to Allied forces in Delaware Bay.
U-858 was part of a six-boat force sent to the East Coast of the United States to wreak havoc. However, after Adolf Hitler committed suicide April 30, the captain of U-858 surrendered May 10 off the coast of New England.
The vessel was boarded by Allied forces and escorted to the waters near Cape Henlopen, where the remaining crew surrendered again May 14.
German soldiers were taken prisoner and held at Fort Miles. U-858 was tied up at today’s Cape Henlopen State Park fishing pier for months; it was toured by local residents and schoolchildren. Eventually, it was towed to the Philadelphia Navy Yard and stripped.
It was destroyed along with other German U-boats by the U.S. Navy in an exercise off Cape Cod.
In this image, the U.S. Navy has taken control of U-858 with support of a helicopter and an airship.
