(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – You might not know that there is a second German U-boat submarine in Chicago, and this one rests at the bottom of Lake Michigan.
The World War I relic UC-97 was last seen by the public in 1921, after being sunk for target practice by the USS Wilmette along the North Shore.
How the boat got here has nothing to do with naval combat. Rather, the ship’s earlier arrival in the United States was an attempt to raise money needed to pay the nation's war debt.
The federal government toured UC-97, which had been acquired and sent by the British -- one of hundreds of German submarines that survived the great conflict.
Explorers pinpointed the location of the sunken German vessel several years ago.
Chicago, of course, has a German U-boat on display at the Museum of Science and Industry. That vessel is from World War II.
Related
Listen to our new podcast Courier Pigeon
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram