HansGoebelerisknownasthemanwho“pulledtheplug“onU-505in1944tokeephisbelovedU-boatoutofAlliedhands.’SteelBoat,IronHearts’ishisno-holds-barredaccountofserviceaboardacombatU-boat.Itistheonlyfull-lengthmemoirofitskind,andGoebelerwasaboardforeveryoneofU-505’swarpatrols.Usinghisownexperiences,logbooks,andcorrespondencewithotherU-boatcrewmen,GoebeleroffersrichandverypersonaldetailsaboutwhatlifewaslikeintheGermanNavyunderHitler.BecausehisfirstandlastpostingwastoU-505,Goebeler’sperspectiveofthecrew,commanders,andwarpatrolspaintsavividandcompleteportraitunlikeanyothertocomeoutoftheKriegsmarine.Hewitnesseditall:fromdeadlysabotageeffortsthatalmostsunktheboattothetragicsuicideoftheonlyU-boatcommanderwhotookhislifeduringWWII;fromtheterrorandexhilarationofhuntingtheenemy,totheseedybrothelsofFrance.Thevivid,honest,andsmooth-flowingprosecallsitlikeitwasandpullsnopunches.U-505wascapturedbyCaptainDanGallery’sGuadalcanalTaskGroup22.3onJune4,1944.Trappedbythis“Hunter-Killer“group,U-505wasdepth-chargedtothesurface,strafedbymachinegunfire,andboarded.ItwasthefirstshipcapturedatseasincetheWarof1812!Today,hundredsofthousandsofvisitorstourU-505eachyearattheChicagoMuseumofScienceandIndustry.IncludedaspecialIntroductionbyKeithGill,CuratorofU-505,MuseumofScienceandIndustry.AuthorHansJacobGoebelerservedascontrolroommateaboardU-505.Hediedin1999,andauthorJohnP.Vanzoisaformerdefenseprogramanalyst.HeteachespoliticalscienceandgeographyatBainbridgeCollegeinGeorgia.
