Shotline Diving Wreck Profile
- Name: UC-97
- Type: Steel mine-laying submarine (German Type UC III U-boat)
- Year Built: 1918
- Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, Germany
- Dimensions: 184 ft (56.1 m) X 19 ft (5.8 m); 12 ft (3.7 m)
- Registered Tonnage: 491 tons surfaced; 571 tons submerged
- Depth at Wreck Site: 76 m / 250 ft
- Location: 20 miles offshore from Highland Park, Illinois, Lake Michigan
- Coordinates: Exact coordinates have not been made public.
- Original Owners: U.S. Navy (formerly Imperial German Navy)
Wreck Location Map
Vessel Type
The UC-97 was a German Type UC III mine-laying submarine, built during World War I. It was designed to deploy naval mines in enemy waters but never saw combat, as it was completed too late in the war.
Description
The UC-97 was built in 1918 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, one of Germany’s premier shipbuilders. Though it was launched before the end of World War I, the submarine was never commissioned into the Imperial German Navy (Kaiserliche Marine) before Germany’s surrender in November 1918.
Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles (1919), Germany was forced to surrender most of its remaining naval fleet, including several U-boats. The UC-97 was handed over to the Allies and became one of the six German submarines sent to the United States as war prizes.
In 1919-1920, UC-97 was used for a U.S. war bond tour, traveling through the Great Lakes as a display vessel to promote Victory Bonds following the war. The submarine visited several major ports, including Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cleveland, drawing large crowds.
By 1921, the submarine was no longer useful, and in compliance with naval disarmament agreements, the U.S. Navy decided to dispose of it. On June 7, 1921, the U.S. Navy gunboat USS Wilmette (formerly the ill-fated passenger steamer Eastland) used the unarmed submarine for gunnery practice. After several rounds of gunfire, the UC-97 sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
History
The wreck of the UC-97 was discovered in 1992 at a depth of approximately 250 feet (76 meters). However, the exact location of the wreck remains undisclosed, likely due to concerns about disturbance, looting, or protection under military grave status.
Significant Incidents
- Located in 1992 by Al Olsen and Taras Lyssenko.
- Exact coordinates have not been made public.
Final Disposition
UC-97 is a protected wreck under international and U.S. Navy jurisdiction. Its status as a historic war prize and military vessel limits access for recreational divers.
Current Condition & Accessibility
The wreck remains undisclosed, and its protected status limits access for divers. It is considered one of Lake Michigan’s most historically significant shipwrecks.
Resources & Links
[shotline_reference_links slug=”uc-97″ title=”References & Links”]
The UC-97 is one of the only German submarines ever to sail on the Great Lakes and serves as a unique piece of World War I naval history. Its post-war bond tour helped educate the public about Germany’s wartime submarine fleet, and its sinking as a naval target in 1921 marked the final chapter of a short but significant legacy. Though its wreck remains undisclosed, it is one of Lake Michigan’s most historically significant shipwrecks.
Full Wreck Record — complete historical article, construction details, voyage logs, incident reports, dive conditions, and all research sources.
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