German submarine U-606
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-606 |
| Ordered: | 22 May 1940 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 582 |
| Laid down: | 12 March 1941 |
| Launched: | 27 November 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 22 January 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk 22 February 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 47°44′N 33°43′W / 47.733°N 33.717°W, by depth charges from USCGC Campbell and Polish destroyer Burza. |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: | 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
| Length: | 67.1 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.5 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: | 6.2 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × supercharged Germaniawerft 6-cylinder 4-stroke F46 diesel engines, totalling 2,800–3,200 bhp (2,100–2,400 kW). Max rpm: 470-490 2 × BBC GG UB 720/8 electric motors, totalling 750 shp (560 kW) and max rpm: 296 |
| Speed: | 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged |
| Range: | 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
| Complement: | 44–52 officers & ratings |
| Armament: |
|
| Service record[2] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
5th U-boat Flotilla (22 January - 31 August 1942) - Training 11th U-boat Flotilla (1 September - 31 October 1942) 9th U-boat Flotilla (1 November 1942 - 22 February 1943) |
| Commanders: |
|
| Operations: |
1st patrol: 14–26 September 1942 2nd patrol: 17 October - 5 December 1942 3rd patrol: 4 January - 22 February 1943 |
| Victories: |
3 merchant ships sunk (20,527 GRT) 2 merchant ships damaged (21,925 GRT) |
German submarine U-606 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 12 March 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 582, launched on 27 November 1941 and commissioned on 22 January 1942 under Oblt.z.S. Hans Klatt.
Service History
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 22 January 1942, followed by active service on 1 September 1942 as part of the 11th Flotilla. After just two months, on 31 October 1942, she transferred to 9th Flotilla.
In three patrols she sank three merchant ships, for a total of 20,527 gross register tons (GRT), plus 2 merchant ships damaged for a total of 21,925 gross register tons (GRT).
Convoy ON 166
Along with U-92, U-186, U-225, U-332, U-529, U-600, U-604, U-623, U-628, U-653 & U-753 she attacked Convoy ON 166 and was very successful sinking the British Empire Redshank plus two US ships Chattanooga City and Expositor on 22 February, before being damaged by depth charges launched from the Polish destroyer ORP Burza
Wolfpacks
U-606 took part in five wolfpacks, namely
- Puma (26–29 October 1942)
- Natter (30 October – 8 November 1942)
- Kreuzotter (8–24 November 1942)
- Falke (8–19 January 1943)
- Haudegen (19 January – 15 February 1943)
Fate
U-606 was sunk on 22 February 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 47°44′N 33°43′W / 47.733°N 33.717°WCoordinates: 47°44′N 33°43′W / 47.733°N 33.717°W, by depth charges from USCGC Campbell and Polish destroyer ORP Burza. There were 36 dead and 11 survivors.
Summary of raiding career
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3]|- | 28 October 1942 | Kosmos II |  Norway |
16,966 | Damaged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 October 1942 | Gurney E. Newlin |  United States |
8,225 | Sunk | |||||
| 22 February 1943 | Chattanooga City | United States |
5,687 | Sunk | |||||
| 22 February 1943 | Empire Redshank |  United Kingdom |
6,615 | Sunk | |||||
| 22 February 1943 | Expositor | United States |
4,959 | Damaged |
References
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-606". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-606". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815-1945 (in German) III (Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe). ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
- Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. pp. 157–159, 162. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-606". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.