German submarine U-662
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-662 |
| Ordered: | 9 October 1939 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 811 |
| Laid down: | 7 May 1941 |
| Launched: | 22 January 1942 |
| Commissioned: | 9 April 1942 |
| Fate: | Sunk 21 July 1943 in the South Atlantic in position 03°56′N 48°46′W / 3.933°N 48.767°WCoordinates: 03°56′N 48°46′W / 3.933°N 48.767°W, by depth charges from US Catalina. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
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| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
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| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
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- 5th U-boat Flotilla
- 9 April – 30 September 1942 - Training
- 7th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 October 1942 – 21 July 1943
- K.Kapt. Wolfgang Hermann
- 9 April 1942 – 14 February 1943
- Oblt.z.S. Heinz-Eberhard Müller
- 10 March – 21 July 1943
- 1st patrol: 22 September – 18 November 1942
- 2nd patrol: 19 December 1942 – 7 February 1943
- 3rd patrol: 23 March – 19 May 1943
- 4th patrol: 26 June – 21 July 1943
German submarine U-662 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 May 1941 by Deutsche Werft, Hamburg as yard number 811, launched on 22 January 1942 and commissioned on 9 April 1942 under Korvettenkapitän Wolfgang Hermann.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-662 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-662 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 9 April 1942, followed by active service on 1 October 1942 as part of the 7th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
In 4 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of 18,609 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged one merchant ship.
Wolfpacks
U-662 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely
- Panther (6–12 October 1942)
- Leopard (12–19 October 1942)
- Südwärts (24–26 October 1942)
- Delphin (4–5 November 1942)
- Spitz (22–31 December 1942)
- Jaguar (18–31 January 1943)
- Without name (27–30 March 1943)
- Adler (7–13 April 1943)
- Meise (13–22 April 1943)
- Specht (22 April – 4 May 1943)
- Fink (4–6 May 1943)
Convoy ONS 154
On the night on 26 December 1942 U-662 reported sighting Convoy ONS 154.
U-662 sunk the crippled and straggling Ville de Rouen which had been attacked earlier by U-225.
July 1943
On 19 July a US Liberator bomber dropped four depth charges, but broke off the attack after sustaining flak damage. U-662 escaped undamaged.
The next day, U-662 was again attacked by US aircraft, this time a Douglas B-18 Bolo aircraft, but again she escaped undamaged. She was sunk the following day.
Fate
U-662 was sunk on 21 July 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 03°56′N 48°46′W / 3.933°N 48.767°W, by depth charges from US Catalina from VP-94 Squadron. Apart from the commander and two other crew members, all hands were lost.
Oberleutnant zur See Heinz-Eberhard Müller was so severely injured that he was repatriated to Germany in March 1944 as he was no longer fit for combat.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 December 1942 | Ville de Rouen |  United Kingdom |
5,598 | Sunk |
| 29 March 1943 | Empire Whale | United Kingdom |
6,159 | Sunk |
| 29 March 1943 | Ocean Viceroy | United Kingdom |
7,174 | Damaged |
| 29 March 1943 | Umaria | United Kingdom |
6,852 | Sunk |
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-662". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-662". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 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.
- Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. p. 138. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- 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-662". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 662". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 29 December 2014.