U505 By whO

The U505 in its original resting place since the late 1940s the war
trophy has sat exposed to the elements.

Time and rust have taken a toll on the ancient relic.

This is the south end or rear of the Museum of science and Industry, However during the
worlds fair it was the main entrance from the lagoon. Now it is a seldom seen, little used
view of the only remaining buildiing from the 1893 Columbian Exposition. the U505s first
home was here along the west side of the main building.

Major changes takeing place around the museum over the past few years include an
underground parking garage, Parking used to be above ground and in the front of the
museum and parking was free. The Museum has always seemed a little out of place so far
away from the Museum campus, as it is known now. but It has Always been a Gem of the
south side, barely escaping the weaking ball in 1910.

Battle scars still evident by the soft ball size holes in its exterior The U505 was a Prize that was not
greeted as well as one might think. The United States did not want Germany to know it had captured the
Sub. The reason was the breaking of the Enigma machine codes earlier. As long as Germany did not
know the codes had been broken It game the Allies a chance to stay one step ahead of the enemy.
However with the capture of a U boat with a Enigma machine on board would certianly alert Germany of
the compromise and prompt them to change the codes. Causing the Allies to lose months of labor
intensive decodeing and a tactical advantage against the Enemy.

The moving of the U505 is a labor intensive time
consuming effort. Moving only inches at a time it has
taken days for the Sub to be moved to the front of the
Museum. Nerves were frazzeled enough at this point
but the moving over and lowering into a crypt over
100 feet deep had to give the engineers nightmares.
This is a priceless irreplaceable relic from our past a
momument both to technology and mans quest to
destroy his fellow man.

Just North of the Museum underpasses are being built and Changes are being made to Lake Shore Dr.

I see the placement of the U505 in this pit as a burial of sorts, It will never see the light of day again. I cannot help
but to reflect on the Pharaoh's tombs and their need to cover and conceal all that was valued to them...upon
their deaths. Perhaps it is all for the future, maybe one day it may be all that left to show that people ever lived
here, dug up by some future explorers. I would imagine the ancient Egyptians never believed their world look as
it does today. With state sponsoring of tombs being openly dug up for the sake of preserving and discovering
history.

Once a Monument to a war time victory. Now in its new home the U505 now takes on the title / and form of an
Exhibit. Some how it takes some of the effect of history away for me. If it could have encased above ground in
a transparent dome, or in the lagoon next to the museum It would have keep its historical momentous effect. I
think this is a good example of great engineers, however the museum would have done well to ask Chicagos
rich pool of artists for their concepts of what would have made a good new home for the ancient war relic.

Workers building a steel frame over the U505 to support the roof have a visually precarious job, one that
would require nerves of steel. Iron man Lenny is one of these men.

Below is the planned exhibit, I think it would be helped with the addition of a glass block roof with a irregular
glass block shape to simulate water. To me one of the measures for being a monument it for it to sit in the
light of day. It should always be viewable from the outside.