SM U-139

For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-139.
German U boats, U-161. U-135, U-139
Career (German Empire)
Name: U-139
Ordered: 1 August 1916
Builder: Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number: Werk 300
Launched: 3 December 1917
Commissioned: 18 May 1918
Renamed: Halbronn
Fate: Surrendered to France on 24 November 1918
Career (France)
Name: Halbronn
Acquired: 24 November 1918
Decommissioned: 24 July 1935
General characteristics
Class and type:German Type U 139 submarine
Displacement:1,930 tons surfaced
2,483 tons submerged
3,050 tons total,)
Length:92 m (302 ft) overall
71.50 m (234.6 ft) pressure hull
Beam:9.12 m (29.9 ft) overall
5.75 m (18.9 ft) pressure hull
Height:11.2 m (37 ft)
Draught:5.27 m (17.3 ft)
Propulsion:2 x MAN AG diesels, 3,300 hp surfaced
1,780 hp submerged
Speed:15.8 knots (29.3 km/h; 18.2 mph) surfaced
7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:12,630 nautical miles (23,000 km) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced, 53 nautical miles (98 km) at 4.5 knots (8.3 km/h; 5.2 mph) submerged
Complement:62 men
Armament:24 G6 torpedoes (4/2 in bow/stern tubes)
2 x 150 mm deck gun with 980 rounds
Service record[1]
Part of: U-Kreuzer Flotilla
unknown start - 11 Nov 1918
Commanders: Kptlt Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière
18 May 1918 - 11 Nov 1918
Operations: 1 patrol
Victories: 3 merchant ships sunk (6,301 GRT)
1 merchant ship damaged (2,502 GRT)
1 warship sunk (487 tons)

SM U-139 was the lead ship of her class, one of the submarines serving in the Imperial German Navy in World War I. She was commissioned on 18 May 1918 under the command of Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière, who named the submarine Korvettenkapitän Schwieger, after Walther Schwieger, who had sunk the Lusitania in 1915. She only sailed on one war patrol, during which she sunk 5 small ships. U-139 surrendered to France on 24 November 1918 and shortly afterwards became French submarine Halbronn (until 24 July 1935 when she was broken up).

Action of 14 October 1918

On the 14 October 1918, U-139 attacked the Portuguese civilian steamer SS São Miguel, which was being escorted by the Portuguese Navy small naval trawler NRP Augusto de Castilho in the Atlantic Ocean. The Augusto Castilho covered the escape of the São Miguel by engaging U-139 for several hours, until being destroyed.[2]

Summary of Raiding Career

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[3]
1 October 1918 Bylands  United Kingdom 3,309 Sunk
1 October 1918 Manin  Kingdom of Italy 2,691 Sunk
1 October 1918 Perth  United Kingdom 2,502 Damaged
2 October 1918 Rio Cavado  Portugal 301 Sunk
14 October 1918 Augusto De Castilho  Portuguese Navy 487 Sunk

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Type U 139 boat SM U-139 - German U-boats of WWI - uboat.net". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  2. ↑ James H. Guill, "the only battle of note that occurred near the Azores during this period took place 14 October 1918 between the German U-139 and Portugal's ships São Miguel and Augusto Castilho.", page 507.
  3. ↑ "SM U-139 successes". UBoat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

External links