Kept from the national public for fear of anxiety and panic, the locals–the Bankers–knew, and they did something about it….

Core Bankers and coastal citizens brought their knowledge and experience to the war effort. The Coast Guard and Navy benefitted especially from seaworthy and self-sufficient recruits. Many who served at Portsmouth, the Banks, and Cape Lookout ended up staying or returning to live and contribute to this coastal community,

—– examples include Les Moore and Nick Galantis and also others interviewed by Rex Quinn)

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^{Torpedo Alley, Torpedo Junction, “The Battle of Torpedo Junction”—(-the region of the North Carolina’s Outer Banks so named because of the high number of U-boat attacks on Allied shipping in WWII)——the Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout area especially)}.

^{Germany had started submarine operations against the Allies in the Atlantic at the outbreak of the war, September 3, 1939.  The American Neutrality Patrol for protection of the Western Hemisphere began at once.}  

The Navy already had radiomen stationed at Cape Lookout in the late 1930s operating navigational radar for crucial coastal shipping.

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World War I showed us what was coming……

  ^{German U-boat operations had attacked  coastal shipping in World War I and would now again be a threat to allied shipping.   American became increasingly involved—beginning our first convoy operations in June 1941.  War planning created “War Plan, Rainbow 1” for assisting Allies  and for meeting and repelling any attack by sea, land or air —an “all out defense” of our coast..}

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World War II–the war came quickly to the key coastal shipping route——-

^{The most intense U-boat attacks took place along our Outer Banks due to the continental shelf being narrowest along that coastline, allowing submarines to easily hide in deeper water off the shelf, but still near to key shipping lanes.}

^{Early in 1942 (January to June),  Nazi submarines were sometimes bagging  (with torpedos and their two 4 inch deck guns) two or three vessels a day along the East Coast.    Three hundred and ninety seven (397) Allied ships were sunk and still others damaged during this span.}  

^{The entire 1,200 mile coast was protected by only a few antiquated subchasers, five old Eagle boats, three ocean-going yachts, less than a dozen Coast Guard ships, four blimps and a handful of airplanes.}

^{Shipping was nearly defenseless early in the German campaign.  No convoys were in use along the coastal routes in early 1942—vessels usually sailing with lights on and without zig-zagging.  Vessels were often backlit by light buoys, lighthouses, and lights from coastal settlements.  Easy targets.}

^{Twelve vessels sank in January and another 42 in March, and by May the toll on shipping was so terrible that figures were no longer released to public.  For several weeks, all coastal vessels were ordered to put up within harbors until a convoy system could be organized.}  

^{In the Summer of 1942, all ships were pulled into protective harbors till co-ordinated program of defense could be established.}

***  ^{The resulting approach included:}

^{—Beginning a convoy system and establishment of Harbors of Refuge} 

^{—harbor submarine netting/barrier and  harbor armaments}

^{—mine fields laid by Army and Navy to protect harbor approaches}

^{—beginning a “Dim Out” program to subdue backlighting of vessels— placement of PT boats rigged with depth charges at Harbors such as Morehead City}.

^{—establishing a local vessel observation fleet watching for the enemy while                 working off-shore}

^{—establishing the Civil Air Patrol, with private individuals and their own planes}

^{—use of blimps for observation}

^{—establishing beach patrols—mounted, on-foot and motorized}

^{—a system of active, consistent investigation of all shoreline suspicious activity, using military, FBI and local law enforcement and supported by observant citizens}

^{These efforts,  along with air and vessel attacks on U-boats, brought about the move of German resources mostly away from our Banks and to areas of “better pickings” and safety.  Attacks and losses then became a rarity.}

^{The Core and Shackleford Banks, and coastal citizens, were integral in this successful effort.}  

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Additional Photographs —Many period photos are attached in a gallery (click red link)

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The Harbor Defense of Beaufort Inlet – 1941 – 1945—-

by Rex Quinn, Ranger, U.S. Park Service–

–composed from many interviews with individuals who were deployed there at the time–

Gun Mounts at Cape Lookout

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^{Shackleford Banks Lookout Tower and Light—}

^{The station was located on the west end of Shackleford Banks midway on the island.  A fifty foot four-legged observation tower  and light was placed as a part of the harbor defense of Beaufort Inlet.  The tower was removed in 1965.}  

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Family Life at Cape Lookout during the war years—

The Royers (having the last baby born at the Cape) and the O’Boyles (arriving in thee late 30s with the Navy) provide a glimpse at the simple pleasures they found and made while there.

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Risk of German landings, infiltrations and saboteurs—

^{Stories are told and retold regarding German sailors coming ashore or even into coastal communities.  Locals tell of hearing  nighttime German speaking convesration heard from the oceanfront.   Active investigations of all suspicious activities  occurred.} 

 ^{Brig. General Tilton wrote :  “While no clear evidence has ever developed of enemy agents landing within the Sector, nor of agents on shore, there were successful enemy landings on Long Island and in Florida in June, and it is probable that the aggressiveness of the mobile force prevented attempts in the area.”}

^{Lt. “Stormy” Rivers related that a German (and rubber raft) was captured near the Atlantic Beach bridge and shipped to Norfolk.}

^{“Among the debris that came to the serface after the U-352 went down were cardboard cartons marked “W.P. Freeman Grocery,” a wholesale firm in Morehead City.}“

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Many locals describe the Dim Out experiences similar to Phyllis O’Boyle Gentry–

“To keep the enemy from locating towns and villages every one observed black-out procedures from dusk until dawn by using shades at the windows and there were no street lights, nd when driving after dark the top half of the car headlights had to be covered.

At dusk each evening an alarm would sound to alert every one in town that it was blackout time…”

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“Diamond” Lightship Came Back to Help……

the Guardian of Shoals and Harbor—-1924 to 1933, came back to help in 1942

Built by Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, this lightship served 1924 to 1933 at its first station on Lookout Shoals. Reassigned to Winter Quarter Shoal in Virginia, LV 107/WAL 529 Lighthouse was renamed “Winter Quarter”. In 1942, LV 102 was pulled from that station and used as an “examination vessel” (checking vessels coming into the harbor area) stationed again east of Cape Lookout as part of that Harbor of Refuge system.

As a young seaman, C. James Shapman was assigned to the Winter Quarter.  After refitting and use as a gate vessel ( opening and closing anti-submarine nets at Hamton Roads), Winter Quarter was reassigned to Cape Lookout.  Stationed 10-15 miles due East of Cape Lookout Light, LV 107 monitored entry to the Harbor of Refuge.  Captain Brown and a crew of 24 had “some sort of 3 inch gun mounted on a gun platform forward and a couple of depth charges in the stern”

A waterproof microphone—“hydrophone”—was hung over the side and crew listened for the sound of U-boat engines.  “While I was on board, we never heard any”.

““Our chief source of all information came from the shrimp fishermen who would, every morning, stop by to give us the news cand a bucket of freshly caught shrimp.  Occassionally, they would tell us of a sinking, but by 1943, submarine warfare had eased off”

(excerpt—from letter by Shapman of Schenectady, NY in 1989)

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Sally Moore’s article about WWII…

Les and Sally Moore at their store–Les served at the Cape during WWII

Denard Davis “could move anything”—-

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The Civil Air Patrol–

“Baby Base Does Man-sized Job as It Helps Stop Sinking in the Last Ship Graveyard Along the Atlantic Seaboard”–CAPCP Base 21 at Beaufort

–the 160 mile stretch of coastline from Cape Hatteras to Cape Fear was the most vulnerable to U-boat attacks. Late summer of 1942, the Coastal Patrol Unit and Base were put into service. Seventy-five volunteers from across the state (bringing their planes and equipment) converged on Beaufort to restore the abandoned airfield focused on the mission to make the shipping lanes and shorelines secure.

From Swash Inlet to Cape Fear (and 60 or more miles out to sea), 3,194 missions were flown, 988,874 miles and 9,888 flying hours, with the loss of five lives in the line of duty.

Besides warning and guiding vessels, Base 21 enabled aided 11 vessels in distress, rescue of 45 survivors, reported 3 mines floating loose, reported 9 life rafts at sea, sighted 6 subs nd 6 additional oil slicks (from subs unseen). Private planes used included Stinson Voyagers, Stinson Reliance, Fairchilds and Waco, Curtis Robin, Monocoach and Cessna.

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Beach Patrols—

North Core Banks was patrolled by mounted troops. Shackleford Banks was patrolled initially by Army personnel and then by Coast Guardsmen based in what would become Dr. Les Moore’s camp (which he moved to the Whale Creek area). The Cape and South Core Banks had access to motorized patrols from the base there.

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The” Eastern Sea Frontier”–

^{The commercial and charter boat skippers were contacted and organized into a volunteer group called the Eastern Sea Frontier, in which they were used as “Confidential Observers in Atlantic Waters” to report any unusual activity.   Many of the small pleasure boatmen joined  the Home Guard, and came under the command of the Navy.  They were sent on patrol and some became so frightened they joined the Army and were gld to do so.  Local boatmen were hired to transport troops and tons of equipment to th Outer Banks.  (Sally Moore, The State, April 15, 1968)}

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Lt. Howard “Stormy” Rivers—-

Morehead Bluffs and Bonham Heights…

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The End of U-352—-

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References:

–The Harbor Defenses of Chesapeake Bay and the Post–by Rollin L. Hilton, Brigadier General U. S. Army–W.W.II at Cape Lookout and Outer Banks–a monograph authored by the commanding officer of this effort

–CAP Coastal Patrol Base Twenty-one–Capt. M.J. Warner and Lt. G. W. Grove–Intelligence Officers

–Flying Minute Men–The Story of the Civil Air Patrol–U.S.–by Robert E. Neprud..

–Cape Lookout National Seashore archives and files include Rex Quinn’s handwritten interview notes—

-including Charles Rose (Marshallberg), James Lewis (Marshallberg), Carl M. Willis (Harkers Island), Joseph Sebes (Beaufort), Les Moore (Morehead city), J. Luther Helms (Goldsboro), Kulon Yelverton (Portsmouth, Va.),  Paul Branch (Morehead /city), George  H. King (Goldsboro), Dave Ruth (Ft. Sumter, NM), Virginia Herman (Wilmington-Army Corps of Engineers), Dave Johnson (Ft. Monroe, Va.), Hans Flebbe (Army Nat. guard Supervisor of Records), Charles T. Hildreth (Dunn), Mel J. Warner—Civil Air Patrol-Rocky Mount), Cesare Saretto(Harketrs Island), Mr. Fred Gleason (historian, N.Y. State Armory), James Shapland (Schenectady, NY), and  Nick Galantis (Morehead City),.

–Cape Lookout National Seashore –archives and files

–other sources as indicated in text and media