List of all U-boats

U-185

Type

IXC/40

 
Ordered15 Aug 1940
Laid down1 Jul 1941 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1025)
Launched2 Mar 1942
Commissioned13 Jun 1942Kptlt. August Maus (Knights Cross)
Commanders
13 Jun 1942 - 24 Aug 1943  Kptlt. August Maus (Knights Cross)
Career
3 patrols
13 Jun 1942-31 Oct 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1942-24 Aug 1943  10. Flottille (active service)
Successes9 ships sunk, total tonnage 62,761 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 6,840 GRT
Fate

Sunk 24 Aug, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic, in position 27.00N, 37.06W, by depth charges from 3 Avenger and Wildcat aircraft of the American escort carrier USS Core. 29 dead and 22 survivors.

Loss position

See the 10 ships hit by U-185 - View the 3 war patrols

14 men from U-604 also perished on this boat that had previously saved them.

Wolfpack operations

U-185 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Westwall (8 Nov 1942 - 16 Dec 1942)

Attacks on this boat

10 Mar 1943
Attacking convoy KG 123 in the Caribbean (sinking 2 ships) the boat was counter-attacked and forced to abort its second attack. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 219)

14 Jun 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Whitley (10 OTU RAF/G)

U-564 was sunk in this attack. The damaged aircraft had to ditch at sea.

3 Aug 1943
While looking for the U-604 to attack her again a Ventura aircraft (Sqdn VB-107, pilot Prueher) instead found the U-185 and attacked her with depth charges and wounding one man. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)

11 Aug 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:An American B-24 Liberator (Sqdn VB-107). Shot down while alongside the wounded U-604.

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

We have a detailed article on the sinking of U-185 with scores of action photos.

12 Jul 1943. On 12 July 1943 some 90 miles off Recife, Brazil, U-185 was attacked by an American B-24 Liberator bomber (VB-107/B-7). Although the bomber crew believed they had crippled the boat, U-185's radio report of the attack was that it caused only slight damage.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-185 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat! See the emblem page for this boat or view each one below.


Media links


Battle Beneath the Waves

Stern, Robert C.


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay