U 158 (Navy)

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U 158 (Kriegsmarine)
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Type : IX C
Field Post Number : M-14 343
Shipyard: AG Weser , Bremen
Construction contract: September 25, 1939
Build number: 1000
Keel laying: November 1, 1940
Launch: June 21, 1941
Commissioning: September 25, 1941
Commanders:

September 15, 1941 - June 30, 1942:
Lieutenant Captain Erwin Rostin

Calls: 2 activities
Sinkings:

17 ships (100,849 GRT)

Whereabouts: Sunk in the western Atlantic on June 30, 1942

U 158 was a German submarine from the Type IX C , which in World War II by the German navy was used.

Technology and history

U 158 was designed for oceanic use - this class of submarines was therefore also called “ocean boat”. It was a two-hull type submarine and had a displacement of 1,120 t above and 1,232 t under water. It had a length of 76.76 m , a width of 6.76 m and a draft of 4.70 m. With the two 2,200 HP nine-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines MAN M 9 V 40/46 with supercharging, a top speed over water of 18.3 kn could be achieved. At a speed of 10 kn, 12,000 nautical miles could be covered. The two 500 PS SSM double E-machines GU 345/34 had 62 × 62 AFA type 44 MAL 740 W battery cells. A top speed of 7.3 knots was achieved under water. A distance of 64 nautical miles could be covered at a speed of 4 kn. 22 torpedoes or up to 44 TMA or 66 TMB mines could be ejected from four bow and two stern torpedo tubes . The diving depth was 100 to 200 m. The quick dive time was 35 seconds. It had a 10.5 cm Utof L / 45 gun with 180 rounds, a 3.7 cm AA gun with 2,625 rounds and a 2 cm AA gun with 4,250 rounds. From 1943/44 onwards, the 10.5 cm cannon was expanded and four 2 cm twin anti-aircraft guns with 8,500 rounds were installed. The crew could consist of four officers and 44 men. The cost of building was 6,448,000 Reichsmarks .

The order for the boat was awarded to AG Weser in Bremen on September 25, 1939 . The keel was laid on November 1, 1940, the launch on June 21, 1941, the commissioning under Lieutenant Erwin Rostin finally took place on September 25, 1941.

Use statistics

U 158 was part of 25 September 1941 to 31 January 1942 as the training boat of the 4th U-Flotilla in Szczecin and from 1 February 1942 until its sinking on 30 June 1942 as the front boat 10. U-Flotilla in Lorient on .

It completed two operations on which 17 ships with 100,849 GRT were sunk and two ships with 15,264 GRT were damaged. U 158 was sunk by US air forces on June 30, 1942 in the western Atlantic . There were no survivors.

First venture

The boat left Heligoland on February 7, 1942 at 2:45 p.m. U 158 operated in the North Atlantic , the West Atlantic , off the US east coast from Newfoundland to Florida .

On February 10, 1942 at 2:05 p.m., the boat ran into Bergen for repairs and to add fuel, and on February 11, 1942 at 5:55 p.m. again from there.

  • On February 24, 1942, the British tanker Empire Celt ( Lage ) with 8,032 GRT was sunk by four torpedoes in the North Atlantic 420 nm southeast of St. John's . The tanker was in ballast and was en route from New York to Halifax . There were 47 dead and six survivors. The ship belonged to convoy ONS 67 with 37 ships.
  • On February 24, 1942, the British tanker Diloma with 8,146 GRT was damaged by two torpedoes in the North Atlantic . He drove in ballast and was en route from Liverpool to Halifax, where he arrived on March 1, 1942. The ship belonged to convoy ONS 67 with 37 ships.
  • On March 1, 1942, the British tanker Finnanger ( Lage ) with 9,551 GRT was sunk by four torpedoes (two missed shots) and shots from the 10.5 cm and 3.7 cm cannons in the West Atlantic . He drove in ballast and was also on the way from Greenock to Curaçao . The losses are unknown. The ship belonged to convoy ONS 67 with 37 ships.
  • On March 11, 1942, the American steamer Caribsea ( Lage ) with 2,609 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the West Atlantic . He had loaded 3,600 tons of manganese ore and was on the way from Santiago de Cuba to Norfolk . There were 22 dead and seven survivors.
  • On March 13, 1942, the American tanker John D. Gill ( Lage ) with 11,641 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the West Atlantic . He had 141,981 barrels of crude oil loaded and was en route from Atreco , Texas to Philadelphia . There were 23 dead and 26 survivors. The tanker was armed with 1 × 5- inch cannon, 2 × .50-cal and 2 × .30-cal machine guns.
  • On March 15, 1942, the American tanker Olean with 7,118 GRT was damaged by two torpedoes in the West Atlantic . He was in ballast and was on his way from Baltimore to Beaumont . There were six dead.
  • On March 15, 1942, the American tanker Ario ( Lage ) with 6,952 GRT was sunk in the West Atlantic by a torpedo and with the 10.5 cm and 3.7 cm cannon. He was ballasted and on his way from New York to Corpus Christi . There were eight dead and 28 survivors.

After 52 days at sea and a distance covered of 7,416 nm above and 205 nm under water, U 158 returned to Lorient on March 31, 1942 . Commander Rostin sank five ships with 38,785 GRT and damaged two ships with 15,264 GRT.

Second venture

The boat left Lorient on May 4, 1942 at 8:00 p.m. U 158 operated in the North Atlantic, the West Atlantic, in the Caribbean , off Cuba , in the Gulf of Mexico and near Bermuda .

  • On May 21, 1942, the British tanker Darina ( Lage ) with 8,113 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the North Atlantic 500 nautical miles east-southeast of Bermuda . He was ballasted and on his way from Stanlow to Texas City . There were six dead and 69 survivors. The ship belonged to the disbanded convoy ON 93 with 25 ships.
  • On May 22, 1942, the British steamer Frank B. Baird ( Lage ) with 1,748 GRT was sunk with artillery in the North Atlantic east-southeast of Bermuda . He had loaded 2,457 tons of bauxite and was on the way from Demerara to Sydney . There were no casualties, 23 survivors. The crew of U 158 picked up the ship's captain to question him. He was then abandoned in a lifeboat with some food.
  • On June 2, 1942, the American steamer Knoxville City ( Lage ) with 5,686 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Caribbean . He had loaded 7,585 t general cargo and was on the way from New York and Trinidad to Suez . There were two dead and 52 survivors. The ship was armed with 1 × 5-inch cannon, 4 × 20-mm cannons, and 2 × .30-cal machine guns.
  • On June 4, 1942, the Norwegian steamer Nidarnes ( Lage ) with 2,647 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Caribbean . He had loaded general cargo and was on his way from New Orleans to Cristóbal . There were 13 dead and 11 survivors.
  • On June 5, 1942, the US steamer Velma Lykes ( Lage ) with 2,572 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico . He had loaded 3,629 t general cargo and was on the way from Galveston to Cristóbal (Panama Canal Zone). There were 15 dead and 17 survivors. The ship was armed with 1 × 3-inch cannon and 2 × .30-cal machine guns.
  • On June 7, 1942, the Panamanian steamer Hermis ( Lage ) with 5,234 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico . He had general cargo and was on his way from New Orleans to Aruba . There was one dead and 50 survivors.
  • On June 11, 1942, the Panamanian tanker Sheherazade ( Lage ) with 13,467 GRT was sunk by torpedo and artillery in the Gulf of Mexico . He was ballasted and on his way from Hampton Roads to Houston . There was one dead and 58 survivors.
  • On June 12, 1942, the American tanker Cities Service Toledo ( Lage ) with 8,192 GRT was sunk by four torpedoes in the Gulf of Mexico . He was carrying 84,000 barrels of crude oil and was en route from Corpus Christi to Portland . There were 14 dead and 31 survivors. He was armed with 1 × 5-inch cannon, 2 × .50-cal and 2 × .30-cal machine guns.
  • On June 17, 1942, the Panamanian steamer San Blas ( Lage ) with 3,601 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico . He was ballasted and on his way from Galveston to Puerto Barrios . There were 33 dead and 14 survivors.
  • On June 17, 1942, the Norwegian tanker Moira ( Lage ) with 1,560 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico . He was ballasted and on his way from New Orleans to Veracruz . There was one dead and 18 survivors.
  • On June 23, 1942, US steamer USS Major General Henry Gibbins ( Lage ) with 5,766 GRT was sunk by torpedo in the Gulf of Mexico . It was a supply ship of the US fleet with home port Washington, the losses are unknown.
  • On June 29, 1942, the Latvian steamer Everalda ( Lage ) with 3,950 GRT was stopped with artillery in the western Atlantic and then sunk by opening the bottom valves. He had loaded unknown cargo and was on his way from Philadelphia to Rio de Janeiro . There were no casualties, 36 survivors.

On June 30, 1942, U 158 was sunk in the western Atlantic by US air forces. Twelve ships of 62,536 GRT were sunk on this 57-day undertaking.

Whereabouts

U 158 was launched on June 30, 1942 in the western Atlantic west of Bermuda, at position 32 ° 50 ′  N , 67 ° 28 ′  W in marine grid reference DC 3924, by a Martin PBM Mariner flying boat of the US Navy Squadron VP- 74 sunk. It was a total loss with 54 dead.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Georg Högel: Emblems, coats of arms, Malings German submarines 1939-1945. 5th edition. Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-7822-1002-7 , page 65

literature

  • Rainer Busch, Hans-Joachim Röll: The submarine war 1939-1945. Volume 2: U-boat construction in German shipyards. ES Mittler and Son, Hamburg a. a. 1997, ISBN 3-8132-0512-6 .
  • Rainer Busch, Hans-Joachim Röll: The submarine war 1939-1945. Volume 4: German submarine losses from September 1939 to May 1945. ES Mittler and Son, Hamburg a. a. 1999, ISBN 3-8132-0514-2 .
  • Rainer Busch, Hans-Joachim Röll: The submarine war 1939-1945. Volume 1: The German submarine commanders. ES Mittler und Sohn, Hamburg et al. 1996, ISBN 3-8132-0490-1 .