German submarine U-162 (1941) explained

German submarine U-162 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 25 September 1939 and was laid down on 19 April 1940 at Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, at Seebeck Yard in Bremerhaven, Germany,[1] as yard number 701. She was launched on 1 March 1941 and commissioned under the command of Korvettenkapitän Jürgen Wattenberg on 9 September of that year.

During three war patrols, U-162 sank 14 vessels. However, on 3 September 1942, three British destroyers hunted U-162 down and sank her. Of a crew of fifty-one, only two died. The remainder were taken prisoner and sent to camps in the United States, where they were to remain for the rest of the war.

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-162 had a displacement of 1120t when at the surface and 1232t while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76m (251.84feet), a pressure hull length of 58.75m (192.75feet), a beam of 6.76m (22.18feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.7m (15.4feet). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4400PS for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1000PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-162 was fitted with six 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.52NaN2 SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7sp=usNaNsp=us SK C/30 as well as a 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.

Service history

First patrol

Following training exercises with the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 9 September 1941 to 31 January 1942, U-162 began her first war patrol as the lead boat of the 2nd U-boat Flotilla on 1 February 1942. She left her home port of Kiel on 7 February and ventured into the North Sea without stopping in occupied Norway. During 40 days at sea, U-162 sailed north of the British Isles and entered the North Atlantic, where she sank her first vessel, White Crest, on 24 February 1942.[2]

Second patrol

U-162 returned to sea on 7 April 1942. For this patrol, she cruised south into the Caribbean Sea and the northern coast of South America. During her 63 days at sea, U-162 sank nine ships: Athelempress, Parnahyba, Eastern Sword, Florence M. Douglas,[3] Frank Seamans, Mont Louis, Esso Houston, British Colony and Beth. Following these victories, U-162 returned to her new home port of Lorient on 8 June 1942.[4]

Third patrol and sinking

U-162's third and final sortie began on 7 July 1942, when she left Lorient for the last time. Much like her second foray, U-162 spent her third patrol in the Caribbean Sea and off the coast of South America. From 19 to 30 August, she sank four more vessels: West Celina, Moena, Thelma and .[5] Nonetheless, just four days after sinking Star of Oregon, she was detected northeast of Trinidad. Three British destroyers,, and, attacked and sank U-162 with depth charges. Two crewmen were killed, while 49 others survived.

Following the sinking of U-162, the surviving crew members were picked up by the three destroyers and sent to the United States where they gave US interrogators information about U-162's history, including where and when she was laid down, how many ships she sank and details about her home port and the design and layout of submarines that were in her class.[6]

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[7]
24 February 1942White Crest United Kingdom4,365Sunk
30 April 1942Athelempress United Kingdom8,941Sunk
1 May 1942Parnahyba Brazil6,692Sunk
4 May 1942Eastern Sword United States3,785Sunk
4 May 1942Florence M. Douglas United Kingdom119Sunk
7 May 1942Frank Seamans Norway4,271Sunk
9 May 1942Mont Louis Canada1,905Sunk
13 May 1942Esso Houston United States7,699Sunk
14 May 1942British Colony United Kingdom6,917Sunk
18 May 1942Beth Norway6,852Sunk
19 August 1942West Celina United States5,722Sunk
24 August 1942Moena Netherlands9,286Sunk
26 August 1942Thelma Norway8,297Sunk
30 August 1942 United States7,176Sunk

See also

Bibliography

External links

12.35°N -88°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 14 March 2010.
  2. Web site: Patrol info for U-162 (first patrol) . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 27 February 2010.
  3. Web site: 3 Oct 2018. The Sinking of the Florence M. Douglas and the story of Douglas the Barbadian who joined the German Navy in WW2. 22 Feb 2021. www.bajanthings.com.
  4. Web site: Patrol info for U-162 (second patrol) . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 27 February 2010.
  5. Web site: Patrol info for U-162 (third patrol) . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 27 February 2010.
  6. Web site: Jürgen Wattenberg . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 28 February 2010.
  7. Web site: Ships hit by U-162 . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 28 February 2010.