U-636

Type

VIIC

Ordered

20 Jan 1941

Laid down

2 Oct 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 612)

Launched

25 Jun 1942

Commissioned

20 Aug 1942

Oblt. Hans Hildebrandt

Commanders

20 Aug 1942	-	14 Feb 1944		Kptlt. Hans Hildebrandt
15 Feb 1944	-	21 Apr 1945		Oblt. Eberhard Schendel

Career
15 patrols

20 Aug 1942	-	31 Mar 1943	5. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1943	-	31 Oct 1943	11. Flottille (active service)
1 Nov 1943	-	21 Apr 1945	13. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 7,169 GRT

Fate

Sunk 21 April, 1945 in the North Atlantic west of Ireland, in position 55.50N, 10.31W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Bazely, HMS Drury and HMS Bentinck. 42 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-636 - View the 15 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-636 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Iller (12 May 1943 - 15 May 1943)
   Donau 1 (15 May 1943 - 26 May 1943)
   Isegrim (1 Jan 1944 - 7 Jan 1944)
   Donner (11 Apr 1944 - 20 Apr 1944)
   Donner & Keil (20 Apr 1944 - 2 May 1944)
   Trutz (28 Jun 1944 - 10 Jul 1944)
   Dachs (1 Sep 1944 - 5 Sep 1944)
   Zorn (26 Sep 1944 - 1 Oct 1944)
   Grimm (1 Oct 1944 - 2 Oct 1944)
   Panther (16 Oct 1944 - 10 Nov 1944)
   Stier (4 Dec 1944 - 15 Dec 1944)

Attacks on this boat

20 Jul 1944
At 03.10 hours, the boat was attacked in the Norwegian Sea by a Liberator aircraft (RAF Sqdn 86/B, pilot S/Ldr Terry M. Bulloch, DSO, DFC & Bar), which was damaged by AA fire before being able to drop its depth charges in the foggy weather. The aircraft made it back to base on two engines, after the crew jettisoned all surplus weight including all guns and ammunition. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

13 Dec 1944
During an air attack on U-636, the machine gun exploded, wounding four crew members.

29 Jan 1945
U-636 was shelled by a German coastal battery off Stavanger, Norway, but suffered no damage.

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in March 1945 but it was of course installed prior to that date. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-636 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.