U-640
Type | VIIC | |||
| Ordered | 20 Jan 1941 | |||
| Laid down | 30 Oct 1941 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 616) | ||
| Launched | 23 Jul 1942 | |||
| Commissioned | 17 Sep 1942 | Oblt. Karl-Heinz Nagel | ||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 1 patrol | 17 Sep 1942 - 30 Apr 1943 5. Flottille (training) 1 May 1943 - 14 May 1943 6. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||
| Fate | Left Kiel on 1 May, 1943. Sunk 14 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic east of Cape Farewell, Greenland in position 60.32N, 31.05W by depth charges from an American Catalina aircraft (Sqdn VP-84/K). 49 dead (all hands lost). | |||
Previously recorded fate
(Last revised by FDS/NHB during June 1992. More on revised fates.
Sunk 17 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic near Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 58.54N, 42.33W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Swale.
This attack resulted in the sinking of U-657.
Attacks on this boat
13 May 1943
The boat, having just attacked convoy ON(S) 7 (without results) was bombed by an aircraft from Iceland forcing the boat to dive and lose the convoy. The boat was sunk by aircraft the next day. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 331)
1 recorded attack on this boat.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-640 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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