History | |
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Name | U-969 |
Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
Yard number | 169 |
Laid down | 29 May 1942 |
Launched | 11 February 1943 |
Commissioned | 24 March 1943 |
Fate | Sunk on 6 August 1944 inToulon in position43°07′N05°55′E / 43.117°N 5.917°E /43.117; 5.917, in an air raid by USLiberator bombers. |
General characteristics | |
Class and 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 51 543 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
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Victories: | 2 merchant ships total loss (14,352 GRT) |
German submarineU-969 was aType VIICU-boat built forNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine for service duringWorld War II.She waslaid down on 29 May 1942 byBlohm & Voss,Hamburg as yard number 169,launched on 11 February 1943 andcommissioned on 24 March 1943 underLeutnant zur See Max Dobbert.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-969 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-969 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 one twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
The boat's career began with training at5th U-boat Flotilla on 24 March 1943, followed by active service on 1 October 1943 as part of the7th Flotilla for the next five months. She transferred to29th Flotilla, on 1 March 1944, based inLa Spezia, forMediterranean operations.
U-969 took part in sevenwolfpacks, namely:
U-969 was sunk on 6 August 1944 in theMilitary port of Toulon in position43°07′N05°55′E / 43.117°N 5.917°E /43.117; 5.917 in an air raid by USLiberator bombers.
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[3] |
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22 February 1944 | George Cleeve | ![]() | 7,176 | Total loss |
22 February 1944 | Peter Skene Ogden | ![]() | 7,176 | Total loss |