U-864 toxic cargo

[MrBern]

Dec 1944, Uboat deployed to Japan w/ cargo of weapons grade mercury.
Intercepted & sunk by Brit submarine in NorthSea.

60 years later, Norwegian Govt set to deal with ecological contamination.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6193979.stm

 

[Twitch]

The theory is that the murcury was associated with nuclear enrichment processes. The Japanese used centrifuges to glean fissionable material from uranium. And there were many other Germany/Japan trips by subs.

The U-234 that was enroute to Japan at the collapse of Germany surrendered to the Americans with a full cargo.

560 kilos of uranium oxide was shipped to Japan in the U-234. That amount of uranium oxide contained about 3.5 kilos of U-235. That is about 1/5th-1/3rd the amount needed to make a nuclear bomb. The material certainly found its way to Oakridge but there is no way of knowing specifically what device it was used in.

The Japanese had a substantial amount already gleaned from scouring China for their nuclear research facility in North Korea. They had developed gas centrifuges to refine uranium back in the 1930s. The Germans got into that technology about 1942. The benefit was the lack of heavy water needed. Decrypts of messages point to Germany/Japan transfering this technology and material in 1943-44. When Italy capitulated in 1943 a sub with uranium oxide bound for Japan was surrendered in South Africa.

Also on board the U-234 was lots of cargo. Cargo containers were built to fit in the original mine shafts forward, midships and astern. Four cargo containers were carried topside. 240 tons of cargo were loaded for departure March 25,1945. Cargo included three crated Messershmitt Me-262 jet fighters and an ME-163 rocket-propelled fighter, Henschel HS-293 glider-bomb, extra Junkers jet engines, 10 canisters of uranium oxide, a ton of diplomatic mail, and over 3 tons of technical drawings, plus other technology (torpedo, fuses, armor piercing shells, etc.) Passengers were 9 high technical officers (one general) and civilian scientists.

U-219 and U-195 had delivered 12 V-2s to Japan in 1944. U-859 sunk in 1944 was carrying uranium. The U-219 was turned over to the Imperial Navy to become the I.505. The U-195 became the I.506. There were something like 98 known attempts or successful voyages to Japan so we can only imaging what goodies were sent. Certainly the uranium oxide was not the 1st shipment.

There were stories in 1946 about successful Japanese nuclear test in the area that is now North Korea. Of course no one has yet been able to see what facilities the Japanese left for obvious reasons.

 

[Story]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2515016,00.html

Divers find U-boats wrecked by secret wartime minefield

NEWQUAY Divers have uncovered the wrecks of three Second World War German submarines off the British coast, shedding light on a British operation that has remained secret for more than 60 years.

Historians were amazed at the discovery of the severely damaged U-boats, which are lying close to each other seven miles off Newquay, Cornwall, because none had ever been recorded as being lost there. After extensive research it was found that they had been sunk in a secret minefield laid after the British intercepted a radio message from a U-boat commander.

His boat had sunk a British destroyer after discovering a gap in the Irish Sea minefield that allowed supply ships in to Cardiff and Bristol. He radioed the news to Germany but his message was deciphered by British Intelligence. The British then laid deep mines to allow ships through but trap U-boats.

Historians were unaware of the minefield until recently, when the relevant documents were declassified.

 

[The Wingnut]

There were stories in 1946 about successful Japanese nuclear test in the area that is now North Korea. Of course no one has yet been able to see what facilities the Japanese left for obvious reasons.

I've heard of this test. Supposedly the device was carried aboard a radio-controlled small ship which was operated out of a kill range and then detonated. Occupational forces discovered equipment that was possibly used or was capable of producing materials for an atomic weapon. The equipment was documented and then destroyed.

...imagine if this technology had been used against invading troops during an invasion of the Japanese homeland...

 

[Story]

EU nuke boffins say that mysterious bits of uranium found last year in a Dutch scrapyard originated in the Nazi nuclear-weapons programme of the 1940s.

Forensic nuke scientists at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) traced the two pieces of metal - described as a cube and a plate - back to their exact origins and dates. Apparently both came from ores extracted at the "Joachimsthal" mine in what is now the Czech Republic, though the two are from different production batches.

The cube, according to specialists at the JRC's Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU), was produced in 1943 for the Nazi nuclear programme and was used in the lab of famous boffin Werner Heisenberg (of uncertainty principle fame). The plate was apparently part of experiments by Heisenberg's collaborator Karl Wirtz.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/02/19/nazi_uranium_dutch_scrapyard/

 

[Vornholt]

There were stories in 1946 about successful Japanese nuclear test in the area that is now North Korea. Of course no one has yet been able to see what facilities the Japanese left for obvious reasons.

Yes, but the entire story came from a single journalist and a single source, with no way of checking the facts behind it. The general speculation is that the alleged nuclear test was from the Japanese Navy's program, as the collegiate program had been bombed out of existence several years before.

That journalist's story was questioned then, and now.

 

[Story]

Bergen (Global Adventures): The Norwegian government has decided to postpone the salvage of submarine U-864, citing technical uncertainties. The cabinet said it needs more answers about risks involved raising the World War II wreck that sank with a hazardous cargo west of the island of Fedje. “We want to conduct more thorough studies to ensure that this is conducted in a manner that is both secure as well as safe for the environment,” said Fisheries Minister Lisbeth Berg-Hansen.

http://www.global-adventures.us/2010/03/15/u-864-salvage/