U 160 (Navy)

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U 160 (Kriegsmarine)
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Type : IX C
Field Post Number : M-40 802
Shipyard: AG Weser , Bremen
Construction contract: December 23, 1939
Build number: 1010
Keel laying: November 21, 1940
Launch: July 12, 1941
Commissioning: October 16, 1941
Commanders:
Calls: 5 activities
Sinkings:

26 ships (156,079 GRT)

Whereabouts: sunk in the mid-Atlantic on July 14, 1943

U 160 was a German submarine from the Type IX C , which in World War II by the German navy was used.

Technology and history

U 160 was a submersible for oceanic use. 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 2 × 2,200 hp MAN nine-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines M 9 V 40/46 with supercharging, a top speed of 18.3  knots over water could be achieved. At 10 knots, 12,000 nautical miles could be covered. The two 500  PS strong SSM -double E machines GU 345/34 were obtained from 62 × 62 battery cells AFA fed Type 44 MAL 740 W. A maximum speed of 7.3 knots was achieved under water. At 4 knots a distance of 64 nautical miles could be covered under water. 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 100-200 m, the rapid diving time 35 seconds. It was armed with a 10.5 cm Utof L / 45 gun with 180 rounds, a 3.7 cm anti-aircraft weapon with 2,625 rounds and a 2 cm anti-aircraft weapon with 4,250 rounds. From 1943/44, the 10.5 cm cannon was removed from this type of boat 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 the AG Weser in Bremen on December 23, 1939 . The keel was laid on November 21, 1940, the launch on July 12, 1941, and the commissioning under Oberleutnant zur See Georg Lassen finally took place on October 16, 1941.

Commitment and history

U 160 was part of 16 October 1941 to 28 February 1942 as the training boat of the 4th U-Flotilla in Szczecin and from 1 March 1942 until its sinking on 14 July 1943 as front boat 10. U-Flotilla in Lorient on . Accordingly, the boat carried the flotilla mark of the 10th U-Flotilla on the tower , a stylized U-boat in front of a black cross . The flotilla symbol was designed by the flotilla chief Günter Kuhnke and was carried by 20 submarines on the tower.

U 160 completed five operations on which 26 ships with 156,079 GRT were sunk and five ships with 34,419 GRT were damaged. U 160 was sunk on July 14, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic by US carrier aircraft. There were no survivors.

On 14 December 1941, a fire in came Gdansk on the barge Lofjord seven crew members killed, one was seriously injured.

First venture

The boat ran at 14:00 am of March 1, 1942 Helgoland from. U 160 operated in the west Atlantic , the US east coast, Cape Hatteras , Cape Lookout and off Norfolk .

  • On March 27, 1942, the Panamanian steamer Equipoise ( Lage ) with 6,210 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the western Atlantic . He had loaded 8,000 tons of manganese ore and was on the way from Rio de Janeiro to Baltimore . There were 40 dead and two survivors.
  • On April 1, 1942, the British steamer Rio Blanco ( Lage ) with 4,086 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes (one missed shot) in the western Atlantic 60 nm east of Cape Hatteras . He had loaded 6,440 tons of iron ore and was on the way from Saint Thomas via Hampton Roads to Great Britain. There were 19 dead and 21 survivors.
  • On April 6, 1942, the American tanker Bidwell with 6,837 GRT was damaged by a torpedo in the West Atlantic . He had loaded petroleum products and was on his way from Corpus Christi to Philadelphia . Nothing is known about the losses.
  • On April 9, 1942, the US steamer Malchace ( Lage ) with 3,516 GRT was sunk by three torpedoes (one missed shot) in the West Atlantic 40 nm from Cape Hatteras . He had loaded 6,628 tons of potash and was on the way from Baton Rouge to Hopewell . There was one dead and 28 survivors.
  • On April 11, 1942, the British steamer Ulysses ( Lage ) with 14,499 GRT was sunk by three torpedoes in the western Atlantic 45 nm south of Cape Hatteras . It had 95 passengers, 9,544 t of general cargo including 4,000 t of pig iron on board and was on its way from Sydney via the Panama Canal and Halifax to Liverpool . There were no casualties, 290 survivors (95 passengers).

After 58 days at sea had U 160 covered sm 8720.8 and expired on April 28, 1942 at 11:15 o'clock in Lorient one. It had sunk five ships with 36,731 GRT and damaged one ship with 6,837 GRT.

Second venture

The boat left Lorient on June 20, 1942 at 8:30 p.m. U 160 operated in the western Atlantic, the Caribbean and southwest of Trinidad .

  • On July 16, 1942, the Panamanian steamer Beaconlight ( Lage ) with 6,926 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the Caribbean . He drove in ballast and was on the way from Table Bay to Trinidad. There was one dead and 40 survivors.
  • On July 18, 1942, the Panamanian steamer Carmona ( Lage ) with 5,496 GRT was sunk by four torpedoes in the Caribbean . He had loaded 7,238 t of flaxseed and was on the way from Rosario and Buenos Aires to Trinidad and Edgewater . There were four dead and 31 survivors.
  • On July 27, 1942, the British tanker Donovania with 8,149 GRT was sunk by four torpedoes (two missed shots) in the Caribbean near Grand Matelot Point (Trinidad) . He drove in ballast and was on his way from Lagos to Trinidad. There were five dead and 45 survivors.
  • On July 25, 1942, the Dutch steamer Telamon with 2,078 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the mid-Atlantic . He had loaded 2,400 tons of bauxite and 36 tons of wood and was on the way from Demerara to Trinidad. There were 23 dead and 11 survivors.
  • On July 29, 1942, the Canadian steamer Prescodoc ( Lage ) with 1,938 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the mid-Atlantic northwest of Georgetown . He drove in ballast and was on his way from Demerara to Trinidad. There were 15 dead and 6 survivors.
  • On August 2, 1942, the British steamer Treminnard ( Lage ) with 4,694 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the mid-Atlantic 200 nm east of Trinidad . He drove in ballast and was on the way from Alexandria via Durban to Trinidad. There were no casualties, 38 survivors.
  • On August 4, 1942, the Norwegian tanker Havsten ( Lage ) with 6,161 GRT was damaged by two torpedoes (one missed shot) and 20 rounds of artillery in the mid-Atlantic . He was in ballast and was on his way from Freetown to Trinidad. There were two dead and 33 survivors.

After 65 days at sea, U 160 had covered 9,904 nm and entered Lorient again on August 24, 1942 at 1.30 p.m. It had sunk six ships with 29,281 GRT and damaged one ship with 6,161 GRT.

Third company

The boat left Lorient on September 23, 1942 at 6:00 p.m. U 160 operated again in the western Atlantic, the Caribbean and Trinidad.

  • On October 16, 1942, the US steamer Winona with 6,197 GRT was damaged by a torpedo in the Caribbean . He had loaded 8,000 tons of coal and was on his way from New York to Rio de Janeiro. Losses are not known. The ship belonged to convoy T-19 with 16 ships.
  • On October 16, 1942, the British steamer Castle Habour ( Lage ) with 730 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Caribbean 50 nautical miles east-northeast of Trinidad . He drove in ballast and was on the way from Trinidad to Pernambuco . There were nine dead and 14 survivors. The ship belonged to convoy T-19 with 16 ships.
  • On November 3, 1942, the Canadian steamer Chr. J. Kampmann ( Lage ) with 2,260 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the Caribbean near the island of Grenada . He had loaded sugar and rum and was on his way from Demerara to New York via Trinidad. There were 19 dead and eight survivors. The ship belonged to the TAG-18 convoy with 25 ships.
  • On November 3, 1942, the British steamer Gypsum Empress ( Lage ) with 4,034 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Caribbean near the island of Grenada . He had loaded 6,200 tons of bauxite and was on the way from Demerara via Trinidad to New York. There were no casualties, 40 survivors. The ship belonged to the TAG-18 convoy with 25 ships.
  • On November 3, 1942, the Panamanian tanker Leda ( Lage ) with 8,546 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Caribbean . He had loaded diesel and was on his way from Carapito to New York via Trinidad and Guantanamo Bay . There were no casualties, 48 ​​survivors. The ship belonged to the TAG-18 convoy with 25 ships.
  • On November 3, 1942, the British tanker Thorshavet ( Lage ) with 11,015 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Caribbean . He had loaded 15,000 tons of heating oil and was on his way from Trinidad via New York to Great Britain. There were three dead and 43 survivors. The ship belonged to the TAG-18 convoy with 25 ships.
  • On November 6, 1942, the British steamer Arica ( Lage ) with 5,431 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the Caribbean 8 nm north of Galera Point (Trinidad) . He had loaded 7,000 tons of general cargo and mail and was on his way from London via Trinidad to Demerara. There were twelve dead and 55 survivors. The ship belonged to the eight-ship T-24 convoy.
  • On November 11, 1942, the British steamer City of Ripon ( Lage ) with 6,368 GRT was sunk by three torpedoes in the mid-Atlantic 90 nm northwest of Georgetown (Guyana) . He drove in ballast and was on the way from Port Said via Cape Town and Trinidad to New York. There were 56 dead and 22 survivors.
  • On November 21, 1942, the Dutch motor ship Bintang ( Lage ) with 6,481 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the mid-Atlantic . It had loaded 8,000 tons of tea , peanuts and pig iron and was on its way from Calcutta via Table Bay, Saldanha Bay and Trinidad to Great Britain. There were 22 dead and 51 survivors.

After 77 days at sea, U 160 had covered 11,627.7 nm and entered Lorient on December 9, 1942 at 10:40 a.m. It had sunk eight ships with 44,865 GRT and damaged one ship with 6,197 GRT.

Fourth venture

The boat left Lorient on January 6, 1943 at 4:30 p.m. U 160 operated in the South Atlantic , off South Africa and in the Indian Ocean .

On February 4, 1943, U 160 was supplied with fuel by U 459 and continued to the intended area of ​​operations.

  • On February 8, 1943, the American steamer Roger B. Taney ( Lage ) with 7,191 GRT was sunk in the South Atlantic by three torpedoes and artillery fire. He drove in ballast and was on the way from Suez via Saldanha Bay and Bahia to Pernabuco. There were three dead and 25 survivors. The ship was armed with a 4- inch and a 3-inch cannon, four .50-cal and two .30-cal machine guns.
  • On March 3, 1943, the American steamer Harvey W. Scott ( Lage ) with 7,176 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean . He had loaded 8,200 tons of war material including explosives and gasoline and was on the way from Durban to Bandar Shahpur . There were no casualties, 61 survivors. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 3, 1943, the Dutch tanker Tibia with 10,356 GRT was damaged by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean . He was in ballast and was on his way from Durban to Abadan . No losses. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 3, 1943, the British steamer Nirpura ( Lage ) with 5,961 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean off Port St. Johns (South Africa) . He had 800 mules and 39 animal keepers on board and was on the way from Durban to Karachi . There were 38 dead and 88 survivors. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 3, 1943, the British steamer Empire Mahseer ( Lage ) with 5,087 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean east-northeast of East London . He had loaded 2,000 t of manganese ore and was on the way from Fanara and Durban via Bahia and Trinidad to Baltimore . There were 18 dead and 36 survivors. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 4, 1943, the British steamer Marietta E. ( Lage ) with 7,628 GRT was sunk by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean east-northeast of East London . He had loaded 4,865 tons of military and 194 tons of civil goods and was on his way from New York via Durban to Aden and Alexandria. There were five dead and 40 survivors. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 4, 1943, the British steamer Sheaf Crown ( Lage ) with 4,868 GRT was damaged by a torpedo in the Indian Ocean . He had an unknown cargo and was on his way from New York to Alexandria. Losses are unknown. The ship belonged to convoy DN-21 with eleven ships.
  • On March 8, 1943, the American steamer James B. Stephens ( Lage ) with 7,176 GRT was sunk by two torpedoes in the Indian Ocean . He had 960,000 empty beer bottles , 10,000 empty powder canisters, medicine, 532 sacks of mail and effects from South African soldiers who had fallen in North Africa on board. There was one dead and 62 survivors. The ship was armed with a 5-inch and a 3-inch cannon and four 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
  • On March 11, 1943, the British steamer Aelybryn ( Lage ) with 4,986 GRT was sunk by three torpedoes in the Indian Ocean east-northeast of Durban . He had loaded 7,935 t of general cargo and was on the way from Calcutta and Cochin via Durban to Great Britain. There were nine dead and 32 survivors.

On April 28, 1943, U 160 was supplied with fuel by U 117 and continued the march back.

After 119 days at sea, U 160 had covered 18,066.9 nm and reached Bordeaux on May 10, 1943 at 19:39 . It had sunk seven ships with 45,205 GRT and damaged two ships with 15,033 GRT.

Fifth venture

The boat left Bordeaux on June 28, 1943 at 3:00 p.m. U 160 operated in the Central Atlantic and east of the Azores. The boat was sunk by US carrier aircraft on July 14, 1943 after 16 days at sea. No ships could be sunk or damaged on this last venture.

Whereabouts

Due to the expanded operating rooms of the German submarines, it was necessary to supply individual boats on the open sea so that they could travel to the on-operation area or return to the base. On July 14, U 160 was supposed to support the U-tanker U 487 in supplying the boats of the Monsun group that were passing through the sea area during this period and that had been ordered to the Southeast Asian sea area . U 160 was launched on July 14, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic south of the Azorean Islands, at position 33 ° 54 ′  N , 27 ° 13 ′  W in marine grid reference DG 2399, by a Grumman F4F Wildcat and a Grumman TBF Avenger of Squadron VC- 29 of the US escort aircraft carrier USS Santee sunk by an acoustic torpedo (Fido). It was a total loss with 51 dead. U 487 had already been sunk the day before.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Georg Högel: Emblems, coats of arms, Malings German submarines 1939-1945. P. 65, 5th edition. Koehlers Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-7822-1002-7 .
  2. ↑ a b Rainer Busch, Hans-Joachim Röll: The U-Boat War 1939-1945. Deute submarine losses from September 1939 to May 1945. Pages 115–116, ES Mittler und Sohn, Hamburg 1999, ISBN 3-8132-0514-2 .

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 .