U-873's crew poses for the camera after her commissioning ceremony on March 1, 1944

This photograph was found aboard the boat when she arrived in Portsmouth after surrendering to the USS Vance on May 11, 1945.  It appears courtesy of Mr. John Arvai.  His father, John J. Arvai, enlisted in Navy at 17 in 1938.  He  was serving on USS Sacramento at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941 and was aboard USS San Juan at naval battle of Guadalcanal.   He transferred to submarine service and did 6 war patrols on USS Salmon.  At the end of war was stationed at Portsmouth and was selected to go aboard U-873.  John Arvai retired as a Chief Electrician.  He passed away in 2000.

The photograph, taken on the occasion of the boat's commissioning ceremony, shows some interesting details of the boat including the spade UAK conning tower emblem (displayed on both sides of the conning tower from commissioning to the completion of trials under the U-boat Acceptance Command), the canisters and platform for the Fa-330 Bachstelze kite and details of the dress uniforms and insignia worn by the crew.

Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Steinhoff carried the boat's guest book under his arm.  Crew members Bootsmaat Peter Binnefeld is the 5th sailor from the left on the conning tower and Funkmaat Georg Seitz is the 4th from the left on the main deck.  A copy of the photograph was given to each member of the commissioning crew.

 

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