U-642

Type

VIIC

Ordered

20 Jan, 1941

Laid down

19 Nov, 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 618)

Launched

6 Aug, 1942

Commissioned

1 Oct, 1942

Kptlt. Herbert Brünning

Commanders

1 Oct, 1942 - 5 Jul, 1944

Kptlt. Herbert Brünning

Career

4 patrols

1 Oct, 1942 - 28 Feb, 1943  5. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1943 - 30 Nov, 1943  6. Flottille (front boat)
1 Dec, 1943 - 5 Jul, 1944  29. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

1 ship sunk for a total of 2.125 GRT

Fate

Sunk 5 July, 1944 near Toulon, France, in position 43.07N, 05.55E, by US bombs.

See the 1 ships hit by U-642 - View the 4 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-642 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Neuland (6 Mar, 1943 - 8 Mar, 1943)
   Ostmark (8 Mar, 1943 - 11 Mar, 1943)
   Sturmer (14 Mar, 1943 - 20 Mar, 1943)
   Seewolf (25 Mar, 1943 - 30 Mar, 1943)
   Trutz (1 Jun, 1943 - 16 Jun, 1943)
   Trutz I (16 Jun, 1943 - 2 Jul, 1943)
   Geier III (2 Jul, 1943 - 15 Jul, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

9 Jul, 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Catalina FP155 (210 Sqdn RAF/F, pilot F/L D.M. Ryan)

At 13.40 hours, the boat was attacked by the Catalina about 250 miles west of Lisbon. AA fire hit the port side of the aircraft during the attack run, damaging the wing, the engine and a fuel tank and wounding the nose gunner. Due to the damages, only the three depth charges on the starboard side were dropped but did not damage U-642, which crash-dived after the attack and did not observe how the burning Catalina ditched shortly afterwards. Two crewmen were lost in the crash and another died the next day from a heart attack. 7 survivors were picked up after 4 days by HMS Swale and taken to Casablanca.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

1 recorded attacks 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-642 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.