[Milsurplus] Chicago Museum U-505

[Glen Zook]

The U-505 exhibit was always on "dry land".  The only nearby water is Lake Michigan and the U-505 was located several hundred yards from the shore of the lake.  Now, the submarine was located outside of the museum building, but it was elevated above ground on "pylons".

I remember when the U-505 was brought to Chicago (was in elementary school at the time).  The submarine was transported on water until it came to the shore opposite the Museum of Science and Industry.  Then, it was moved across Lake Shore Drive and onto the museum grounds basically by the same apparatus that is used for moving large houses and other buildings.

Every year, in elementary school and in junior high school, the students were bused the about 60-miles (from LaPorte, Indiana) for a day at the museum.  As such, I visited the U-505 on numerous occasions.  Of course, I have taken my family to visit the Museum of Science and Industry whenever we were visiting relatives in northwestern Indiana.

As an aside, my uncle, the late Norman L. Anderson, was the chief SONAR man on the destroyer escort, U.S.S. Durik, DE-666, which joined the task force that captured the U-505 shortly after the submarine was captured.  He told me that the pages from the ship's log were removed for 2-days before the capture through the delivery of the submarine to Bermuda.  In addition, every member of the crew were sworn to secrecy, with the distinct possibility of death for violating this secrecy, not to even mention the capture of the U-505.
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com


________________________________
 From: "w8au at sssnet.com" <w8au at sssnet.com>
To: milsurplus at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Chicago Museum U-505
 
Hue:

Its tough to swallow the decisions of business organizations, and the Museum
of Science and Industry definitely is a business when it comes to attracting
visitors who pay to get in.

A few years ago they moved U-505 inside, established a huge addition to
cover the boat, decorated the interior to establish the atmosphere of a sub
in the open sea, (tilted) and precedes this with three large displays 
and videos
preparing the visitors for the grand entrance into the boat location.

What they have done is eliminate most of the necessary maintenance items
that were formerly needed when it sat for years in the water.

I do think they missed a great opportunity for selling or auctioning 
the material,
however.   And as for the UC-97, they probably can't undertake the project for
budget reasons.