# How Effective A Weapon Was the V-2 Rocket? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 8, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-a-weapon-was-the-v-2-rocket/528195 "2010-02-08T22:19:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-a-weapon-was-the-v-2-rocket/528195/61 "2012-09-24T05:31:40Z")
> [@tazjet](#): > > Then you need to do some research on U-219. It was a minelayer with vertical mine shafts into which componenents of 12 dismantled rockets were loaded. Oddly, it’s very easy to do research on the U-219/I-505. [IJN Submarine I-505: Tabular Record of Movement](http://www.combinedfleet.com/I-505.htm). Here’s the record of her activities transferring from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Oddly, no mention of V-2s. > [@](#): > > 23 August 1944: > The U-219 departs Bordeaux bound for Penang, Malaya. Burghagen is ordered to refuel Oberleutnant zur See Karl Albrecht’s U-1062, Type VIIC in-bound from Penang after delivering 39 torpedoes to supply Gruppe Monsun". The “Enigma” coded traffic setting up the rendezvous at 11-51N, 34-45W is read by Allies. > > 28 September 1944: > South Atlantic Narrows. A radar-equipped TBF Avenger of Task Group 47.7’s escort carrier USS TRIPOLI’s (CVE-64) Composite Squadron VC-6, piloted by Lt William R. Gillespie, reports contact with a surfaced U-boat. Gillespie delivers a low-level rocket attack, but U-219’s four 20-mm AA guns shoot him down. This is the last aircraft from escort carriers lost to U-boats in the Atlantic. > > Another Avenger piloted by Lt (jg) Joseph W. Steere fires eight rockets at U-219, while Lt (j.g.) Douglas R. Hagwood’s Grumman FM-2 “Wildcat” fighter strafes the U-boat. Steere then drops a Mark 24 “Fido” acoustic torpedo and sonobuoys. Burghagen escapes the plane unscathed, but two days later, Albrecht’s U-1062 is sunk by USS FESSENDEN (DE-142). > > U-219 attempts to send a report of the air attack, but is attacked again, and for the next three days, by depth charges, bombs and more Fidos. Burghagen finds a salinity layer upon which U-219 can drift with motors and nearly all machinery turned off using the absolute minimum of battery power. The U-219 remains submerged for 69 consecutive hours until she has to surface because of the toxic level of carbon dioxide built-up in the ship. Burghagen surfaces in the midst of a sandstorm blowing out of Africa. The storm keeps the Allies from regaining radar contact on U-219. > > 1 October 1944: > U-219 is reassigned “on paper” to the 33rd Flotilla at Flensburg, Germany. > > 2 October 1944: > One of the TRIPOLI’s Avengers drops depth bombs on the U-219, but misses. > > November 1944: > Incessant Allied air and submarine attacks render Penang untenable as an operational base for submarines. The German U-boats withdraw to Batavia (now Jakarta), Java (now Indonesia) and the Japanese I-boats relocate to Surabaya, Java. > > 12 December 1944: > U-219 arrives at Tanjong Priok (Batavia’s harbor), the new Monsun U-boat flotilla’s base of operations. Here’s another record of the [U-219](http://uboat.net/boats/u219.htm). Oddly again, no mention of V-2s. Just to make sure, these V-2s weren’t fitted with nuclear warheads of the design that you keep claiming the Nazis test detonated, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-a-weapon-was-the-v-2-rocket/528195/62 "2012-10-02T19:45:36Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I wouldn’t say completely unsuccessful in the Irish context, but that it is too much of a hijack to get into here. I would,and so would a good many people who actually live there (You don’t yourself do you ?) who refused to be terrorised by Irish Republican murderers. Likewise a good many Catholic citizens of N.I. refused to be terrorised into submission by scum Protestant terrorists. Terrorists are scum. All terrorists. And any cause that uses terrorists to implement its will; are none causes, they are as much total scum as the the people who murder, rape and torture in their name. Sorry mate. Some people like to rationalise their belief in causes that destroy so many ordinary peoples lives are somehow justified. Sorry but they’re not. Just because you hero worshipped some nasty piece of work when you were young doesn’t make their kidnapping, murder and torture (Usually of their OWN community) of ordinary, innocent people, right. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-a-weapon-was-the-v-2-rocket/528195/63 "2012-10-02T20:20:32Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > On a different note, it is interesting that more V2’s were fired at Belgium than at England. At least one of which was responsible for the carnage in [this famous photograph](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:V-2victimAntwerp1944.jpg) (\<== not for the squeamish) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-effective-a-weapon-was-the-v-2-rocket/528195.md?page=3)