German submarine U-623
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-623 |
| Ordered: | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 599 |
| Laid down: | 15 July 1941 |
| Launched: | 31 March 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 21 May 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk 21 February 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 48°08′N 29°37′W / 48.133°N 29.617°WCoordinates: 48°08′N 29°37′W / 48.133°N 29.617°W, by depth charges from a RAF Liberator. |
| 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 |
| 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: | 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) Various AA guns |
| Service record[2] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
8th U-boat Flotilla (21 May - 30 November 1942) - Training 6th U-boat Flotilla (1 December 1942 - 21 February 1943) |
| Commanders: |
Oblt.z.S. Hermann Schrüder (21 May 1942 - 21 February 1943) |
| Operations: |
1st patrol: 5 November - 26 December 1942 2nd patrol: 2–21 February 1943 |
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-623 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 15 July 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 599, launched on 31 March 1942 and commissioned on 21 May 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Hermann Schrüder.
Service History
The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 21 May 1942, followed by active service on 1 December 1942 as part of the 6th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In two patrols she sank no ships.
Wolfpacks
U-623 took part in five wolfpacks, namely
- Drachen (22 November - 3 December 1942)
- Panzer (3–9 December 1942)
- Ungestüm (11–13 December 1942)
- Raufbold (13–18 December 1942)
- Ritter (11–21 February 1943)
Fate
U-623 was caught while hurrying on the surface to join the attack against Convoy ON 166 and sunk on 21 February 1943 in the North Atlantic, at the position 48°08′N 29°37′W / 48.133°N 29.617°W, by depth charges from a RAF Liberator of 120 Squadron. All hands were lost.
See also
References
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-623". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 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. p. 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-623". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.