TELL May-June 2020

a series of events that could
be understood as essential to
happen, exactly as they did, for
this mission and the subsequent
outcomes to be successful.
Yes, there are key figures in this
venture that needed to be more
daring and proactive, such as
Captain Daniel Gallery. He led
the Task Group, he initiated and
planned out the attack on the
U-boat, always thinking ahead
and trying whatever he believed
was possible (and sometimes
impossible) to get the job done.
He also showed impeccable
leadership and bravery when
on board the U-505, trying to
ensure that they could salvage
the vessel. He also took on the
responsibility of accessing the rear
area of the submarine, placing
himself directly in the firing line
if the area was indeed rigged, he
did not ask, nor allow, any of his
team to do this in his place. As
leader of the Task Group, he also
had to bear the brunt from Fleet
Admiral King, who threatened
to court-martial Gallery for his
actions in salvaging the U-boat,
and through it all, Gallery fought
to allow them to keep and study
U-505, mainly to benefit the
Allies in winning the war.
The brave members of Task Group
22.3 showed not only courage
and determination in carrying
out their mission, but they did
so knowing the great risks they
were taking. At any stage, right
from the time they gathered as
a group, all the way through
the end of the war, it could have
all gone wrong. Any of them
could have been killed during
this dangerous mission, and
there were many opportunities
that could have happened.
In addition, there were others that
were involved - the commandant
and his team at the naval base
in Bermuda, the personnel that
guarded the captured Germans
in Louisiana, the many members
of the Allied forces that worked
with the materials and machines
salvaged off the submarine, to
assist the Allies in defeating the
Germans, and many others.
The whole mission, from
beginning right through to
conclusion, was a success because
the people involved understood
the importance of focusing on the
mission, no matter how difficult
things got, or how tempted they
may have been, at any stage, to
stray from the mission. It shows
that when we think and behave in
a way that is focused on success,
we not only have a better chance
of achieving that success, but
we also show others that we are
willing to lead by example and
consider the bigger picture when
we plan and act the way we do.
There are so many more stories
and facts about U-505, the Task
Group, and all of those involved.
All of them reflect the importance
of a chance encounter in the ocean
off the west coast of Africa. At the
same time, they all reflect the role
this encounter and the subsequent
events played in the war.
We all face chance encounters
in our lives, and we all have
opportunities to make the most
of those encounters, to take
risks, to be alive, and to know
that somewhere along the way,
we’ll have our 'Captain Gallery'
moments, possibly our 'Admiral
King' moments, and occasions
where we are other characters in
our stories. Most importantly,
all of these moments have a role
to play in our adventures, and
we should acknowledge that
it’s not just about one moment
in the journey, but rather it’s
about the whole journey.
As we venture through new
challenges during these uncertain
times, let’s not forget that even
the toughest and formidable
conditions can be navigated
through ingenuity, thinking
outside the box, and taking action
for the best possible outcome.
The engine room of the U-505
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