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  • Steel Boat Iron Hearts

  • A U-boat Crewman's Life Aboard U-505
  • By: Hans Goebeler, John Vanzo
  • Narrated by: Norman Dietz
  • Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (67 ratings)

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Steel Boat Iron Hearts cover art

Steel Boat Iron Hearts

By: Hans Goebeler, John Vanzo
Narrated by: Norman Dietz
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Publisher's Summary

Using his own experiences, log books, and correspondence with other U-boat crewmen, Hans Goebeler offers rich and personal details about what life was like in the German Navy under Hitler. Since his first and last posting was to U-505, Goebeler's perspective of the crew, commanders, and war patrols paints a vivid and complete portrait unlike any other to come out of the Kriegsmarine. He witnessed it all, from deadly sabotage efforts that almost sunk the boat to the tragic suicide of the only U-boat commander who took his life during World War II. The vivid, honest, and smooth-flowing prose calls it like it was and pulls no punches.

U-505 was captured by Captain Dan Gallery's Guadalcanal Task Group 22.3 on June 4, 1944. Trapped by this "hunter-killer" group, U-505 was depth-charged to the surface, strafed by machine gun fire, and boarded. It was the first ship captured at sea since the War of 1812. Today, hundreds of thousands of visitors tour U-505 each year at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

This edition includes a special foreword by Keith Gill, curator of U-505 at the Museum of Science and Industry.

©2008 Hans Jacob Goebeler and John Vanzo (P)2016 Tantor

What listeners say about Steel Boat Iron Hearts

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hunter becomes hunted.

An eye witness account by a submariner in the control room. Vivid and honest account right down to the rotten potato’s.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A real account of life on a submarine

There were many times when I felt the urge to punch the author for being such a Nazi *****bag. But at the same time that is half the books value - giving you an idea of what these people thought. like when he came across a beautiful Church in France which has been reduced to rubble by air attack and he curses "the Jews and cspitalists who started this war". You feel for the author when he and the French prostitute he sees fall genuinely in love. And you see how a bad boss can nearly kill you as happens when they get a bully for a captain.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A well written perspective

How refreshing to hear a voice from the other side of the battle of the Atlantic. An excellent story, more so for being from the ordinary sailor’s perspective.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

It’s a shame I never got to meet the author.

A great story from an interesting perspective. Maybe some of the pronunciation will make some listeners shake their heads. Overall however, well worth a listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly recommend.

Very honest and informative recollection of a young man’s life in u boat service. Even more meaningful for anyone visiting U505 (Hans’s actual submarine) which is an exhibit at the Chicago museum.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

a great read/listen

a great and honest sounding account of Life aboard a ww2 uboat, a great read listen

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fantastic

This book really gets into the small details of a Uboat crewmans life on board. Very fascinating stuff!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

One of my favourites.

A great honest depiction of the war, from a rare perspective. Would recommend this to anyone who would like to step into the life of a u-boat crewman. Would give it six stars if I could.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • NJX
  • 02-06-2021

Gripping Aventures of Action and Bravery

Loved it. RIP all those fallen to war both sides.
The other side gets to tell their story of brave and great sailors.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Fact or Fiction?

Other complaints of this book pointed toward the authors blaming the British for the war, and referring to the treatment of the Germans post war as genocide and seemingly having his rose tinted glasses on when trying to deny much wrong doing by the Germans, but I can get over all that if his story was a good one worth telling.

For me tho, some parts of the story of the stories that the author tells about were either heavily exaggerated, or simply fiction, altho I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt and put it down to the effects of old age playing tricks on the memory since he was well into old age when this memoir was written. He seems like a nice enough guy, and he has a story to tell, but the reader should be wary that some of the book could be taken with a grain of salt.

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