U-156 Hartenstein 2-Mar-1942
U-156’s patrol began in Lorient on the 19th of January and ended in the same port on the 17th of March 1942. It was part of the first wave of five U-boats in the Neuland operation, including U-67, U-129, U-161 and U-502. U-156 was the first one to return to France. On the afternoon of the 16th of February the boat withstood an attack by an American A 20 bomber off Aruba. The ships sunk in the greater Bahamas region were sunk by gunfire alone. As a result of this it was reported by some that the Oregonsurvivors were machine-gunned while in the water. Whether this was intentional or not – or even true – may never be verified (Wynn, Vol. 1, p.120).