U-197
Type | IXD2 | |||
| Ordered | 4 Nov, 1940 | |||
| Laid down | 5 Jul, 1941 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1043) | ||
| Launched | 21 May, 1942 | |||
| Commissioned | 10 Oct, 1942 | Kptlt. Robert Bartels | ||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 1 patrol | 10 Oct, 1942 - 31 Mar, 1943 4. Flottille (training) 1 Apr, 1943 - 20 Aug, 1943 12. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | 3 ships sunk for a total of 21.267 GRT 1 ship damaged for a total of 7.181 GRT | |||
| Fate | Sunk 20 Aug, 1943 south of Madagascar, in position 28.40S, 42.36E, by depth charges from 2 British Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. 259/C & 265/N). 67 dead (all hands lost). | |||
See the 4 ships hit by U-197 - View the 1 war patrol
Attacks on this boat
20 May, 1943
The boat was bombed and strafed by an American Mitchell aircraft northeast of Ascension. The periscope was damaged and gunfire wounded a crew member, who died the next day. [Bootsmaat Viktor Rainer] (Sources: Ritschel)
1 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
4 Nov, 1942
Obermaschinist Alfred Wernicke died after an accident in Kiel.
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
 German U-Boat Losses During World War II Niestle, Axel Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: Dark Sky, Deep Water, Franks, Norman, 1997 (transl.) German U-Boat Losses During World War II, Niestle, Axel, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2, Wynn, Kenneth, 1998 |