"Gooneybird" wrote in message
...
I vaguely recall that the U-234 was one of those cargo-carrying subs not
designed for underwater combat, and they were somewhat larger than the
rest of
the U-boat fleet.

I just checked Google and came up with this at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/lostsub/map_u0234.html:



U-234
Cargo U-boat bound for Japan when war ended, surrendered to U.S.
authorities at sea carrying a total cargo of 260 tons, including uranium
oxide
ore, mercury, and the component parts for an Me 262 jet fighter.

Type: X B
Built: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Keel laid: 1 October 1941
Launched: 23 December 1943
Commissioned: 2 March 1944
Commander: KL Johann-Heinrich Fehler
Fate: Surrendered to destroyer escort USS Sutton east of the Flemish
Cap,
14 May 1945, after two Japanese passengers committed suicide. Other
passengers
bound for Japan included several Luftwaffe officers and technical
specialists
intended to improve Japanese aircraft defenses. The U.S. Navy used U-234
for
experimental trials and then sank her off Cape Cod, November 1946.

George Z.



The Germans tried pretty hard to stop the Japanese committing suicide but in
the end the two Japanese managed to do so. One of them was quite famous for
inventing an automatic depth keeping controller. The Germans had
considered continuing on to Japan rather than surrender but were actually
afraid of being treated harshly because they had heard of harsh treatment of
Europeans. This despite the fact that the Japanese had sworn on their honor
to ensure their excellent treatment. Hirschfeld regretfully mentions that
it turns out the Japanese gave outstanding treatment to Axis caught in Japan
after the surrender of Germany.

These subs I believe were not only mine layers but had been used as 'milk
cows' to rearm and refuel other subs. They were quite large and could
manage 40,000 nautical miles at 8 knots.