WAYNE PICKELS was one of
the boarding party that stormed aboard U-505 that historic
day of 4 June 1944.  It was the first time the United States Navy
had boarded and captured an enemy Man-O-War on the high seas since the
USN captured HMS PEACOCK in the Sunda Straits in 1815!
With pistol in hand, WAYNE was one of eight to rush below decks
to fight it out with any of the German crew who remained aboard.
There were no more aboard, and U-505 was theirs. 
WAYNE was decorated with the Silver Star for this action.