The secret victory of the USS Roper off the American East Coast

History · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In April 1942, a significant milestone in the Battle of the Atlantic occurred off the coast of North Carolina. A German U-boat was sunk by the United States Navy, yet the military kept the achievement a secret from the public.

During World War II, US naval units downed the U-85 near the American East Coast, representing a pivotal event in maritime annals as the initial German submarine lost to American forces. The vessel, a Type VIIB U-boat built in 1939 by Flender Werke AG in Lübeck, Germany, was part of a very rare class; only 24 of these specific boats were ever constructed. Under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Eberhard Greger, the U-85 had been part of the Third Flotilla since June 1941.

The submarine's final patrol began on January 8, 1942, a period when the United States had officially entered the war and German U-boats were increasingly operating near the American coast. On April 14, 1942, the USS Roper engaged the U-85, using its 3-inch deck gun to inflict battle damage. The encounter resulted in the total loss of the U-85 and all 46 crew members on board. Despite the significance of this first American victory against a U-boat, the event was suppressed by the military at the time.

Today, the wreck of the U-85 serves as a site of immense archaeological importance. It rests in approximately 90 feet of water, roughly 14 miles east of Oregon Inlet. The vessel lies on its starboard side with an 80-degree list. The wreckage is so well-preserved that the pressure hull is visible at the bow, exposing four forward torpedo tubes, some of which still contain visible torpedoes. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, standing as a silent monument to the intense struggle of the Battle of the Atlantic.

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