| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-616 |
| Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 592 |
| Laid down | 20 May 1941 |
| Launched | 8 February 1942 |
| Commissioned | 2 April 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 17 May 1944 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 45 101 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: |
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German submarineU-616 was aType VIICU-boat built forNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine, for service duringWorld War II.She waslaid down on 20 May 1941 byBlohm & Voss,Hamburg as yard number 592,launched on 8 February 1942 andcommissioned on 2 April 1942 underOberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Johann Spindlegger.
On 8 October 1942, Spindlegger was replaced byOblt.z.S.Siegfried Koitschka, who commanded her until she was sunk on 17 May 1944.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-616 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), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoBrown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8double-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-616 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
The boat's career began with training at8th U-boat Flotilla on 2 April 1942, followed by active service on 1 January 1943 as part of the6th Flotilla. On 1 June 1943 she transferred to operations in theMediterranean as part of29th Flotilla until her sinking in 1944.
In 9 patrols she sank 2 warships and damaged 2 merchant ships, for a total of 2,181 tons and 17,754 gross register tons (GRT), respectively.
U-616 took part in threewolfpacks, namely:
U-616 was sunk on 17 May 1944 in theMediterranean in position36°46′N00°52′E / 36.767°N 0.867°E /36.767; 0.867, by depth charges fromUSS Nields,USS Gleaves,USS Ellyson,USS Macomb,USS Hambleton,USS Rodman,USS Emmons and a RAFWellington bomber of36 Squadron
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 October 1943 | USS Buck | 1,570 | Sunk | |
| 11 October 1943 | HMSLCT-553 | 611 | Sunk | |
| 14 May 1944 | Fort Fidler | 7,127 | Damaged | |
| 14 May 1944 | G S Walden | 10,627 | Damaged |