GRGR(22) - Silent Otto

[Paul Mackin]

David Morris wrote:

> >From: Paul Mackin > German engineer Nikolaus August Otto invented an early
> >four-stroke internal
> > > combustion engine. It was known as the Otto, or the Silent Otto because
> >it
> > > was relatively quiet.
>
> The above reference was probably the original use of the moniker.  The more
> relevant WW2 application would be the nickname given to this later "Silent
> Otto."
>

But would the "WW2" aplication be funny and affectionate to Frau Gnuhb or would it "date" her? Pretty
funny mutti calling her child a little internal combustion engine., nicht wahr?  Remember the diaper
changing competition.

Well I liked it :-)

                                        P.


>
> >From HyperArts:
> http://www.hyperarts.com/pynchon/gravity/gravity-f.html?gravity.header.html&gravity.left.html&ety.html
>
> Born May 1, 1912, Otto Kretschmer was a German U-boat Fregattenkapitän
> during World War II. He was quite successful, sinking a total of 44 Allied
> ships, mostly in the Atlantic in 1940 and 1941 before being captured by a
> British destroyer HMS Walker southeast of Iceland on March 17, 1941. He
> earned the moniker "Silent Otto" because he attacked on the surface at
> night, relying on the small silhouette of a U-boat not to give them away and
> the superior speed of the craft to get them away from the scene of
> devastation as quickly as possible. His motto was "One torpedo ... one
> ship." A ruthless U-boat commander, he was awarded the Knight's Cross with
> oak leaves (equivalent of Victoria Cross) by Hitler.
> Kretschmer was accused by the British of war crimes for conducting a
> disciplinary hearing against another German submarine officer who had been
> accused of cowardice while they were both held in the same POW camp--it
> being contrary to the Geneva convention for POWs to hold a court-martial.
> Kretschmer argued that he held a 'council of honour' which did not pass
> sentence against the officer. In any case, charges were not pressed and he
> was later released.
>
> After the war "Silent Otto" served 15 years in the "Bundesmarine" (post-war
> German navy), his last rank was the "Flotillenadmiral."
>
> ----------
>
> http://uboat.net/men/interviews/kretschmer.htm
> Real-Audio inteviews with "Silent Otto"
>
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