Depths of Courage Vol. 10 - The Attack on New York Harbor

Unlike the frogmen raids conducted at Gibraltar, Alexandria, Algeciras and elsewhere in the Mediterranean, the raid on New York would also include the newest mini-submarine in the Italian navy’s arsenal, the CA 2. Armed with two torpedoes, these small submarines were so top secret they were never entered into the Regia Marina’s Order of Battle.The CA 2 mini-sub and its crew, as well as the frogmen’s Maiale submersibles, would have to be ferried to the target area by a much larger submarine. The only one capable of doing so in the Italian navy was the fleet submarine Leonardo da Vinci. Modifications to its hull to transport the CA 2 were made in German occupied Bordeaux, and training of its crew and the raiders done in ultra-high secrecy in the Bay of Biscay.However, in May the Leonardo da Vinci was surprised and sunk by the British destroyer HMS Active and Frigate HMS Ness with an all hands. By that time Sicily was invaded and the Mussolini government soon overthrown.