U505 Captured German WWII Submarine Photo Gallery by larryrz at pbase.com

U505 Captured German WWII Submarine

The U505 was captured in 1944 off the West coast of Africa. In 1954 it was brought to Chicago and put on display at the Museum of Science and Industry. I toured it as a young boy probably around 1960. It is currently in the process of being moved from it's outdoors display due to deterioration from 50 years of Chicago weather. A new underground climate controlled display is being created near the Northeast corner of the museum. The U505's location is at the East of the museum, about half way through it's move. The underground pit is being dug and support structures built.

During the move the sub was slowly raised with hydraulic jacks and placed on wheeled dollies. It was moved slowly and carefully. It now needs to be moved from the East side of the museum to the North side, positioned and lowered into the pit.

These photos were taken on two gorgeous days, April 12 and 19.

Hope you all enjoy the photos.

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comment |

TBarrera		05-Jan-2009 02:32
Thank you very much Larry. You did a great job taken this photos. Keep up the great work.

Kent Coxon		03-Dec-2008 02:28
My father (MA Coxon) was on-board the USS Chatelain and participated in the capture of the U-505. He has attended several of the "reunions" in the past years and has shared his stories of its capture, not only with me but also with my children when they were younger. I had the opportunity to see the sub in 1967 during a high school trip to Chicago.

Alex Zar (PhoM1/c)		05-Jun-2006 05:19
I copied the code books and photographed all the U-505 prisoners aboard the U,S,S. Guadalcanal at time of capture. Was co-founder of CVE-60 Task Group 22.5 Reunion Organization. Alex Zar

jerry cairo		14-Oct-2005 14:07
really neat pictures! beleve it or not, i was there in 1955 when it was towed across lake shore drive out of lake michigan, by catapiller tractors and steel cables. they put it on to what looked like greased telephone poles layed across the outer drive. my dad took me every day to see the progress. I was only five years old. what was even neater was when they got it to tilt side ways to clear the inner lake shore drive bridge! i also was there the day the exibit opened for the first time. back then they had guided tours by real u.s. navel officers through the whole sub. my dad has some black & white photos of the whole move. i should post them? my grandson would love to hear the story of the move when he gets old enough to understand. thanks for the memories!

Thomas Elliott		30-May-2005 03:39
I saw a hour long documentary on the History Channel last night about the capture of U505. What a fantastic and interesting story! I really enjoyed your photos, and hope to see U505 in its' new display soon. Thank You!

Bob Bartley		13-May-2005 00:51
First pics I've ever seen of this sub! I read the book by Adm. D. Gallery when I was a kid, of how they caught the sub. Some day I must make it to Chicago to actually see this sub. Can you go inside it? I got to go inside a sub once at Mobile Bay...neat place there, too! Anyway, thanks for the pics! I love submarine books/pics.

Stu		16-Jul-2004 02:15
Thanks for the images. I read the story of the U-505 many years back, and have always wanted to visit the museum. But so far, my only Chicago visits have been confined to an hour or two changing planes at the airport. Someday... Anyway, I'm glad to see it's being preserved. Stu

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