German submarine U-66 (1940)
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-66 |
Ordered | 7 August 1939 |
Builder | AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 985 |
Laid down | 20 March 1940 |
Launched | 10 October 1940 |
Commissioned | 2 January 1941 |
Fate | Sunk 6 May 1944 west of the Cape Verde Islands by US aircraft and warships[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type IXC U-boat |
Displacement | |
Length |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range |
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Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1][2] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 21 181 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
German submarine U-66 was a
Design
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).
Service history
After her transfer from a training organization to front line service in May 1941, until her sinking in May 1944, U-66 conducted nine combat patrols,[1] sinking 33 merchant ships, for a total of 200,021 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged two British motor torpedo boats.[1] She was a member of four wolfpacks.
U-66 was the seventh most successful U-boat in World War II.[4]
On 6 May 1944, during her ninth patrol, she was sunk west of the
Patrols
First
On 13 May 1940, three days after the start of the invasion of France, U-66 departed her homeport of
and where the U-boat was based for the rest of her career.Second
After refitting and refueling, U-66 set off to the
Third
On 28 August, U-66 left Lorient for north-eastern South America. The patrol was mostly uneventful, but the boat found the Panamanian steam tanker I.C. White (7,052 GRT), off the eastern coast of Brazil on 24 September. After a two-day chase, U-66 hit the tanker with one torpedo. U-66 continued the remainder of the patrol without any further incident and returned to Lorient on 9 November.[9]
Fourth
U-66's fourth sortie was part of Operation
Fifth
On 21 March, U-66 left for what proved to be her most successful patrol, resulting in 43,956 gross metric tons sunk and 12,502 gross metric tons damaged in the Caribbean Sea. 24 days after departure she sank Korthion, a 2,116 GRT Greek steam merchantman just south of Barbados with one torpedo hit amidships.[12] Two days later, the boat sank Amsterdam, a 7,329 GRT Dutch steam tanker, which split in two after being hit by two torpedoes, one amidships, and one in the engine room. Most of the survivors were picked up near Port of Spain, (Trinidad) by Ivan, a Yugoslavian steam merchant vessel.[13] The next day U-66 attacked Heinrich von Riedemann, an 11,020 GRT Panamanian motor tanker. The first torpedo severely damaged the steering control of her port engine and ruptured a tank of oil, making much of it leak out. 20 minutes after the first hit, just after the starboard engine was stopped, the ship was abandoned when the crew took to the lifeboats. An hour later U-66 hit her with a second torpedo, setting her afire. It extinguished itself within 25 minutes. 50 minutes later the submarine hit her with a third torpedo, which set the ship afire again. She remained that way for about 70 minutes before she finally sank.[14] Nine days later U-66 sank the 5,513 GRT US Alcoa Partner with a torpedo and a shot from her deck gun.[15]
Sixth
After her fifth patrol, Richard Zapp left U-66 to take command of the
U-66 also sank the 8,621 GRT Winamac on 31 August and the Swedish 6,390 GRT Peiping on 9 September.[20] She returned to Lorient on 29 September.[16]
Seventh (aborted)
On 9 November 1942, U-66 left Lorient on what should have been her seventh war patrol. Soon after departure, leaks were encountered, and she decided to return. On 10 November, the day before she returned, a British
Seventh
U-66 left Lorient on 6 January 1943 for what was officially her seventh patrol. On 20 January, the ship landed an espionage agent on the coast of Mauritania, but the agent and two crewmen were immediately captured. Her first sinking came with the attack on the 113 GRT French Joseph Elise on 1 February. On the 27th, U-66 attacked the 4,312 GRT British coal merchant ship St. Margaret in mid-Atlantic near Bermuda, sinking her with one torpedo and, after several misses, a shell. Several survivors were captured and taken to the prison camp Marlag und Milag Nord.[21] U-66 then returned to port, arriving on 24 March 1943.[22]
Eighth
U-66's eighth patrol started after a quick refit on 7 April 1943 when she left Lorient. At 148 days, it was to be her longest. She first sank the 10,173 GRT American Esso Gettysburg, which was carrying crude oil, on 10 June after unsuccessfully attempting to attack several other American tankers. On 2 July, she successfully sank the 10,195 GRT Bloody Marsh (this ship was on her maiden voyage), with a torpedo. The last ship encountered on the patrol was the 10,172 GRT Cherry Valley, also American, which she sank on 22 July. U-66 then returned to Lorient.[23]
Ninth
On 16 January 1944, U-66 left Lorient for what would be her last patrol and the last command of Oberleutnant zur See Gerhard Seehausen (posthumously promoted to Kapitänleutnant). A month and ten days after departure, U-66 sighted Silvermaple, a 5,313 GRT British motor merchant in the convoy
Sinking
On 1 May 1944, U-66 came under attack by American ships from an antisubmarine hunter-killer group formed around
With the two vessels stuck fast, a party of Germans, under the command of U-66's first officer, Klaus Herbig, attempted to climb onto the American escort's forecastle[27] to create a diversion while Seehausen and the remainder of the U-boat's crew worked to free the boat. As American sailors saw the boarding party climbing on deck, hand-to-hand fighting broke out in which a number of Germans were killed or wounded before the U-boat was able to make good its escape. Five armed Germans remained on deck of the destroyer but they were quickly overpowered and taken prisoner.[28] Buckley's 3-inch gun was unleashed on the U-boat as the Americans chased after her, but U-66 then turned and rammed Buckley near her engine room, damaging the ship's starboard screw.[27] Soon afterward, U-66 was scuttled on Seehausen's orders to prevent her secret equipment from being captured. Buckley then began rescue operations, which lasted three hours.[28]
U-66 was lost at position 17°17′N 32°29′W / 17.283°N 32.483°W with 24 dead and 36 survivors, all of whom were captured by Buckley. Seehausen was not among the survivors, who were later transferred to Block Island.[28] For his act of ramming U-66, Brent Abel received the Navy Cross.[27][29]
Wolfpacks
U-66 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:
- West (24 May – 5 June 1941)
- Rochen (27 January – 1 March 1943)
- Tümmler (1 – 17 March 1943)
- Aufnahme (5 – 10 May 1943)
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[20] |
---|---|---|---|---|
29 June 1941 | George J. Goulandris | Greece | 4,345 | Sunk |
29 June 1941 | Kalypso Vergotti | Greece | 5,686 | Sunk |
30 June 1941 | Saint Aslem | United Kingdom | 5,614 | Sunk |
19 July 1941 | Holmside | United Kingdom | 3,433 | Sunk |
26 July 1941 | I. C. White | Panama | 7,052 | Sunk |
18 January 1942 | Allan Jackson | United States | 6,635 | Sunk |
19 January 1942 | RMS Lady Hawkins | Royal Canadian Navy | 7,988 | Sunk |
22 January 1942 | Olympic | Panama | 5,335 | Sunk |
24 January 1942 | Empire Gem | United Kingdom | 8,139 | Sunk |
24 January 1942 | Venore | United States | 8,017 | Sunk |
14 April 1942 | Korthion | Greece | 2,116 | Sunk |
16 April 1942 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 7,329 | Sunk |
17 April 1942 | Heinrich von Riedemann | Panama | 11,020 | Sunk |
26 April 1942 | Alcoa Partner | United States | 5,513 | Sunk |
29 April 1942 | Harry G. Siedel | Panama | 10,354 | Sunk |
2 May 1942 | Sandar | Norway | 7,624 | Sunk |
3 May 1942 | Geo. W. McNight | United Kingdom | 12,502 | Damaged |
9 July 1942 | Triglav | Yugoslavia | 6,363 | Sunk |
26 July 1942 | Tamandaré | Brazil | 4,942 | Sunk |
28 July 1942 | Weirbank | United Kingdom | 5,150 | Sunk |
2 August 1942 | HMS MTB-339 | Royal Navy | 32 | Damaged |
2 August 1942 | HMS MTB-342 | Royal Navy | 32 | Damaged |
6 August 1942 | Rozewie | Poland | 766 | Sunk |
29 August 1942 | Topa Topa | United States | 5,356 | Sunk |
30 August 1942 | Sir Huon | Panama | 6,049 | Sunk |
30 August 1942 | West Lashaway | United States | 5,637 | Sunk |
31 August 1942 | Winamac | United Kingdom | 8,621 | Sunk |
9 September 1942 | Peiping | Sweden | 6,390 | Sunk |
1 February 1943 | Joseph Elise | Free France | 113 | Sunk |
27 February 1943 | St. Margaret | United Kingdom | 4,312 | Sunk |
10 June 1943 | Esso Gettysburg | United States | 10,173 | Sunk |
2 July 1943 | Bloody Marsh | United States | 10,195 | Sunk |
22 July 1943 | Cherry Valley | United States | 10,172 | Damaged |
26 February 1944 | Silvermaple | United Kingdom | 5,313 | Sunk |
1 March 1944 | St. Louis | Free France | 5,202 | Sunk |
5 March 1944 | John Holt | United Kingdom | 4,964 | Sunk |
21 March 1944 | Matadian | United Kingdom | 4,275 | Sunk |
See also
- List of successful U-boats
- The Enemy Below
References
Notes
- gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- ^ a b c d e f g h Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-66". German U-boats of WWII - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-66". U-boat patrols - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Most Successful U-boats". U-boat Operations - Uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (First patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "George J. Goulandris (Greek Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Kalypso Vergotti(Greek Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (Second patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (Third patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ Dunmore 2002, p. 166.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Lady Hawkins (Steam passenger ship)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 April 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Korthion (Greek Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Amsterdam (Dutch Steam tanker)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Heinrich von Riedmann (Panamanian Motor Tanker)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Alcoa Partner (American Steam Merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (Sixth patrol)". U-boat patrols - Uboat.net. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Triglav (Yugoslavian Steam Merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Tamandare (Brazilian Steam Merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Weirbank (British Motor Merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-66". German U-boats of WWII - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "St. Margaret (British Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (Seventh Patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Morission, pp. 181 – 183
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-66 (Ninth patrol)". U-boat patrols - Uboat.net. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XIV boat U-488". German U-boats of WWII - Uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- ^ Blair 2000, p. 547.
- ^ a b c "Sinking of U-66". Destroyer Escort Sailors Association. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
- ^ a b c Blair 2000, pp. 547–548.
- ^ "Navy Cross Awards to members of the U.S. Navy in World War II". Home of Heroes. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2012.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Blair, Clay (2000). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942 – 1945. New York: Modern Library. ISBN 0-679-64033-9.
- Dunmore, Spencer (2002). Lost Subs: From the Hunley to the Kursk. The Greatest Submarines Ever Lost – and Found. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81140-5.
- OCLC 768913584.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-66". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 66". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 1 February 2015.
- "U-boat Archive - U-boat KTB - U-66 6th War Patrol". Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- "U-boat Archive - U-boat KTB - U-66 9th War Patrol". Retrieved 2017-04-13.
- uboataces.com webpage with insignia for U-66
- YouTube video: USS Buckley vs U-66 during the Battle of the Atlantic
- 1944: May 6: Sinking of U-66 - National Museum of Naval History