German submarine U-659
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-659 |
| Ordered: | 9 October 1939 |
| Builder: | Howaldtswerke, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 808 |
| Laid down: | 12 February 1941 |
| Launched: | 14 October 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 9 December 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk 4 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 43°32′N 13°20′W / 43.533°N 13.333°WCoordinates: 43°32′N 13°20′W / 43.533°N 13.333°W after colliding with U-439. |
| 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: |
|
| Service record[2] | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
5th U-boat Flotilla (9 December 1941 - 31 August 1942) - Training 9th U-boat Flotilla (1 September 1942 - 4 May 1943) |
| Commanders: |
K.Kapt. Hans Stock (9 December 1941 - 4 May 1943) |
| Operations: |
1st patrol: 15 August 1942 - 16 September 1942 2nd patrol: 14 October 1942 - 5 November 1942 3rd patrol: 12 December 1942 - 5 January 1943 4th patrol: 8 February 1943 - 20 March 1943 5th patrol: 25 April 1943 - 4 May 1943 |
| Victories: |
1 merchant ship sunk (7,519 GRT) 3 merchant ships damaged (21,565 GRT) |
German submarine U-659 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 12 February 1941 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 808, launched on 14 October 1941 and commissioned on 9 December 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans Stock.
Service History
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 9 December 1941, followed by active service on 1 September 1942 as part of the 9th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In 5 patrols she sank 1 merchant ships, for a total of 7,519 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged 3 others.
Wolfpacks
U-659 took part in seven wolfpacks, namely
- Vorwärts (25 August 1942 – 11 September 1942)
- Streitaxt (20 October 1942 – 31 October 1942)
- Spitz (22 December 1942 – 29 December 1942)
- Neptun (18 February 1943 – 3 March 1943)
- Westmark (6 March 1943 – 8 March 1943)
- Neuland (8 March 1943 – 13 March 1943)
- Drossel (29 April 1943 – 4 May 1943)
Fate
U-659 sunk on 4 May 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 43°32′N 13°20′W / 43.533°N 13.333°W after colliding with U-439. There were just 3 survivors, and 44 hands lost.
Summary of raiding career
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 September 1942 | Empire Oil |  United Kingdom |
8,029 | Damaged |
| 30 October 1942 | Bullmouth | United Kingdom |
7,519 | Sunk |
| 30 October 1942 | Corinaldo | United Kingdom |
7,131 | Damaged |
| 30 October 1942 | Tasmania | United Kingdom |
6,405 | Damaged |
References
- ↑ Gröner 1985, pp. 72-74.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-659". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-659". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 4 September 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. 105–107, 117, 123, 124, 189. 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-659". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.