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History Happy Hour

History Happy Hour Encore Episode 286 – Capture of the U-505

Guest: Alexander Rose

Phantom Fleet

This week on History Happy Hour: It sits on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago: The U-505.  The June day in 1944 that this German submarine was captured was the first time the U.S. Navy boarded and captured an enemy vessel since the War of 1812. It was carried out in swashbuckling style by a top-secret Navy task force.

In this encore episode, Chris and Rick discuss its dramatic high sea heist with Alexander Rose, author of Phantom Fleet.

Sunday at 4PM ET on History Happy Hour, where history is always on tap.


Alexander Rose is a journalist and author of numerous history books including Empires of the Sky, The Lion and the Fox, and Washington Spies: The Story of America’s First Spy Ring.  The latter was adapted into the AMC drama series, Turn: Washington Spies, for which he served as writer/producer.  He has a doctorate from Cambridge, was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Born in the United States, raised in Australia and educated in Britain, Alexander currently resides in New York.

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