U-616

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug, 1940

Laid down

20 May, 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 592)

Launched

8 Feb, 1942

Commissioned

2 Apr, 1942

Oblt. Johann Spindlegger

Commanders

2 Apr, 1942 - 7 Oct, 1942	Johann Spindlegger
8 Oct, 1942 - 17 May, 1944	Oblt. Siegfried Koitschka (Knights Cross)

Career

9 patrols

2 Apr, 1942 - 31 Dec, 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Jan, 1943 - 31 May, 1943  6. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jun, 1943 - 17 May, 1944  29. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

2 warships sunk for a total of 2.181 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 17.754 GRT

Fate

Scuttled on 17 May, 1944 in the Mediterranean east of Cartagena, in position 36.46N, 00.52E, after fatal damages from depth charges from the US destroyers USS Nields, USS Gleaves, USS Ellyson, USS Macomb, USS Hambleton, USS Rodman and USS Emmons, and by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 36/K), in a 3 day-long action. 53 survivors (No casualties).

See the 4 ships hit by U-616 - View the 9 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-616 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Burggraf (26 Feb, 1943 - 6 Mar, 1943)
Westmark (6 Mar, 1943 - 11 Mar, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

13 May, 1943
The boat was attacked by escorts in the Mediterranean with 64 depth charges. The boat suffered severe damages and had to return to base.

1 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

U-616 attacked the convoy GUS-39 and damaged two Allied merchants (G.S. Walden and Fort Fidler) on 14 May, 1944 and immediately the Allies began to swamp the area (see page on U-371 for details). Aircraft from five squadrons and eight American destroyers hunted the boat until it was defeated on 17 May.

Only 5 hours later U-960 attacked the US destroyer USS Ellyson off Oran. The destroyer then had survivors from U-616 on board. U-960's attack missed the destroyer (luckily for the German POW's on board) and another Swamp operation began which eventually caught and sank U-960 on 19 May.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-616 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.