This is the complete wartime translation by the U.S. Navy of the 1943 edition of the official handbook given to all U-boat commanders. The original handbook was compiled from combat reports & was regularly updated throughout the war. The handbook was an invaluable reference for every operational U-boat commander. Simply written & highly accessible for a wider audience the U-boat handbook attempted to anticipate every possible situation & to advise on suitable tactics. This superb war-time primary source is enhanced by a rare series of photographs taken on an actual combat patrol & published during the time of the Third Reich in the book U-Boot Auf Feindfahrt". Together the handbook & these rare photographs provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of the U-boats from a first hand perspective & is essential reading for anyone interested in World War II from primary sources."