U-159

Type

IXC

Ordered

23 Dec 1939

Laid down

11 Nov 1940

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1009)

Launched

1 Jul 1941

Commissioned

4 Oct 1941

Kptlt. Helmut Witte (Knights Cross)

Commanders

4 Oct 1941	-	6 Jun 1943		Kptlt. Helmut Witte (Knights Cross)
7 Jun 1943	-	28 Jul 1943		Oblt. (R) Heinz Beckmann

Career
5 patrols

4 Oct 1941	-	30 Apr 1942	4. Flottille (training)
1 May 1942	-	28 Jul 1943	10. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

23 ships sunk, total tonnage 119,554 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 265 GRT

Fate

Sunk 28 July, 1943 in the Caribbean Sea, south of Haiti, in position 15.57N, 68.30W, by depth charges from an American Mariner aircraft (VP-32, P-1). 53 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, December 1997).

See the 24 ships hit by U-159 - View the 5 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 15 July 1943 in the Caribbean Sea east of Jamaica, in approximate position 15.58N, 73.44W, by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft, P-10 (VP-32). (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack sank the U-759.

Wolfpack operations

U-159 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Wohlgemut (12 Mar 1943 - 22 Mar 1943)
Seeräuber (25 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)

Attacks on this boat

13 Jul 1942
At 01.02 hours, the inbound boat was attacked with 3 bombs by a Leigh-Light equipped British Wellington (172 Sqn RAF) in the Bay of Biscay. The bombs fell close on the port side and caused severe damage, leaving the boat unable to dive. Nevertheless, they managed to reach Lorient after about 12 hours. (Sources: Ritschel)

10 Oct 1942
At 14.41 hours, the boat was attacked by a Ventura aircraft of the SAAF with three depth charges shortly after crash diving, causing only slight damage. However, U-159 had to give up her chase of a freighter sighted earlier that day.

28 Mar 1943
Wolfpack Seeräuber (Pirate) attacked small convoy RS 3 and during which 3 ships were sunk and 3 U-boats (of 8) seriously damaged. U-159 was hit by aerial depth charges and was seriously damaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-159 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.