List of all U-boats
U-166
Type | IXC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 25 Sep 1939 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 6 Dec 1940 | Deutsche Schiff und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen (werk 705) | ||||||||
| Launched | 1 Nov 1941 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 23 Mar 1942 | Oblt. Hans-Günther Kuhlmann | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 2 patrols |
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| Successes | 4 ships sunk, total tonnage 7,593 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk on 30 July, 1942 Gulf of Mexico, in position 28.5N, 89W, by depth charges from a US Navy escort vessel PC-566. 52 dead (all hands lost). (uboat.net, June 2001). | |||||||||
| Loss position | ||||||||||
Previously recorded fate
- Sunk on 1 August, 1942 in the Gulf of Mexico, in position 28.37N, 90.45W, by a single depth charge from a US J4F-1 Grumman aircraft (USCG V-212/Y). (Dr. Axel Niestlé, 1998)
Notes. This may have been an attack on U-171.
General notes on this boat
The discovery of U-166 (June 10, 2001)
This boat was finally discovered and documented in late May 2001 after years and years of unsuccessful research and wreck-hunting. The wreck was located some 45 miles south of the mouth of Mississippi River, by C & C Technologies with their AUV during oil-survey work for BP Amoco and Shell.
We're compiling an article on the loss and eventual discovery of the boat right now, should be ready in the next few days.
Its discovery also changes its official fate since it's now certain that she was lost right after sinking her fourth and last victim, Robert E. Lee on July 30, 1942. Their wrecks are less than one mile from each other.
She is of course a gravesite now and cannot be disturbed, she is protected by some 5000feet of water in this regard.
uboat.net had published a theory on its location for a long time and that theory was proven correct although most did not subscribe to that one :)
Annoucements related to this boat
U-166 wreck located (9 Jun 2001)Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-166 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
Media links
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There was another U-166 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 6 Sep 1918 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 21 Mar 1919. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about the U 166 during WWI.