On February 24, 1945 the U.853, nicknamed by her crew "Der Seiltaenger" (Tightrope Walker), slipped out of Stavanger, Norway for operations off the New England coast, commanded by Oberleutnant Helmut Fromsdorf. It is beleived that the U-boat attacked and sank the US corvette Eagle 56 on April 23. On Map 5 at 5:40 PM the submarine torpedoed and sank the small collier Black Point just off Narragansett Bay, Boston bound with a load of soft coal. Two minutes later, the news of the attack was reported by the Yugoslavian freighter SS Kamen. The U.853 was located at 7:20 PM by four warships including the Coast Guard Frigate Moberly, the destroyer Ericson, and the destroyer escorts Americk and Atherton. At 11:37 PM a hedge-hog attack from the Atherton killed the U.853. The attacks continued until noon May 6, until Fromsdorf's cap was recovered from the flotsam, together with the chart table. Of the fifty five crew who also died in the attack, two were recovered and buried on land. The U.853 rests today with her crew seven miles east of Block Island with her bow pointed out to sea.

The wreck rests upright in 130 feet of water, about seven miles east of Block Island, Rhode Island at Loran 25776.0 43894.8. Moorings are usually in place during the diving season months. The original outer skin, decking, and conning tower shield has deteriorated away. However, the bow and stern have some shape left. All that remains is the submarine pressure hull. Extensive bombing of the U.853 has left a couple of large holes in the pressure hull, allowing easy access for advanced divers. You must have the proper skills required for penetration of this or any shipwreck. Caution must be exercised as the interior is a mass of pipes, wreckage, and silt. A large hole about four feet in diameter is just in front of the conning tower. This entry allows easy access to the control room, just under the conning tower. Another hole is located in the stern, in the torpedo room. the U.853 was equipped with two sets of 20mm anti-aircraft guns and one 37mm anti-aircraft gun. These guns are no longer on the wreck, having been removed by divers or torn off by fishing boats. The propellers and periscopes were cut off in the 1960's. The torpedo rooms still have the remains of torpedoes in them. Most of the submarine's floor is a foot thick in marine concretions. Among the remains of the deck are the high tanks used to blow the ballast tanks. Around the sandy bottom are the depth charges and hedgehog bombs used in the attack. Depth charges look like fifty-five gallon drums and hedgehogs resemble small tanks with fins. These bombs are dangerous and must not be disturbed.

The bones of the U.853 crew are still very visible inside the wreck. Out of respect for these young sailors, they should not be disturbed. I'm still sickened to this day after seeing a diver on another dive boat at the wreck, passing around a large bone, then throwing it back into the open sea. Thirty thousand German U-boat crews lost their lives in World War II out of forty thousand who served. This was the largest casualty rate of any military service during the war.

This is an excellent advanced wreck dive that should not be missed. Its a dive into history, as the U.853 was the last U-boat sunk on the east coast of the United States in World War II.

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