U-618

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug, 1940

Laid down

29 May, 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 594)

Launched

20 Feb, 1942

Commissioned

16 Apr, 1942

Oblt. Kurt Baberg

Commanders

16 Apr, 1942 - 15 Apr, 1944	Kptlt. Kurt Baberg
16 Apr, 1944 - 14 Aug, 1944	Oblt. Erich Faust

Career

10 patrols

16 Apr, 1942 - 31 Aug, 1942 5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep, 1942 - 14 Aug, 1944 7. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

3 ships sunk for a total of 15.788 GRT

Fate

Sunk 14 Aug, 1944 in the Bay of Biscay west of St. Nazaire, in position 47.22N, 04.39W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Duckworth and HMS Essington, and by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 53/G). 61 dead (all hands lost).

See the 3 ships hit by U-618 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-618 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Lachs (3 Sep, 1942 - 27 Sep, 1942)
   Pfeil (13 Sep, 1942 - 25 Sep, 1942)
   Wotan (8 Oct, 1942 - 16 Oct, 1942)
   Westwall (27 Nov, 1942 - 25 Dec, 1942)
   Ostmark (8 Mar, 1943 - 11 Mar, 1943)
   Sturmer (14 Mar, 1943 - 20 Mar, 1943)
   Seewolf (25 Mar, 1943 - 30 Mar, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

20 Nov, 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British B-24 Liberator (Sqdn 53/N). The entire aircrew was lost.

19 Mar, 1944
The boat, while attempting to enter the Mediterranean, was harassed by allied aircraft and surface ships for an entire week (19 Mar - 25 Mar) before aborting to France with heavy battle damage. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 494)

30 Jul, 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Wellington Mk.XIV (RAF Sqdn 172/J)

At 01.25 hours, the boat was attacked in the Bay of Biscay at night by a Wellington aircraft (RAF Sqdn 172/J, pilot F/L L.H. Such), which was hit by AA fire and crashed into the sea, killing the crew of six men.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

On 30 Dec 1943 U-618 saved 21 survivors from the sunken German destroyer Z 27. After the war these destroyer men became honorary members of the crew and took part in their annual meetings (only those men from U-618 not on the last mission of course).

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-618 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.