U-262

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

29 May 1941

Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 27)

Launched

10 Mar 1942

Commissioned

15 Apr 1942

Kptlt. Günther Schiebusch

Commanders

15 Apr 1942	-	26 Oct 1942	Günter Schiebusch
Sep, 1942	-	Oct, 1942	Oblt. Siegfried Atzinger
26 Oct 1942	-	25 Jan 1944	Kptlt. Heinz Franke (Knights Cross)
25 Jan 1944	-	24 Nov 1944	Oblt. Helmut Wieduwilt
25 Nov 1944	-	2 Apr 1945	Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Laudahn

Career
10 patrols

15 Apr 1942	-	30 Sep 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942	-	9 Nov 1944	3. Flottille (front boat)
10 Nov 1944	-	2 Apr 1945	33. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 13,010 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 925 tons

Fate

Bombed at Gotenhafen in December 1944. Stricken at Kiel on 2 April, 1945. Broken up in 1947.

See the 4 ships hit by U-262 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-262 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Kreuzotter (15 Nov 1942 - 22 Nov 1942)
   Drachen (22 Nov 1942 - 26 Nov 1942)
   Landsknecht (19 Jan 1943 - 28 Jan 1943)
   Pfeil (1 Feb 1943 - 7 Feb 1943)
   Without name (15 Apr 1943 - 18 Apr 1943)
   Schill (25 Oct 1943 - 16 Nov 1943)
   Schill 1 (16 Nov 1943 - 22 Nov 1943)
   Weddigen (22 Nov 1943 - 29 Nov 1943)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 22 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat

26 Sep 1942
On Day 3 of the first patrol the boat was attacked by 2 Hudson aircraft (pilots E. Tammes and R. Horney) west of Bergen, Norway. The aircraft dropped 8 depth charges between them and caused enough damage to the boat for it to abort its patrol and retreat again to Bergen, reaching base 2 days later. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 23.)

15 Apr 1943
While shadowing convoy HX 233 the boat was fired on and depth charged by escorts. The boat was en route to Prince Edward Island to collect escapees from a planned break out from the POW camp there (Operation Elster). The boat evaded the escorts and made the rendezvous, but no POWs showed up. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 226)

8 Aug 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American Avenger (VC-1 USN, pilot Lt(jg) A.H. Sallenger)

In the morning U-262 was awaiting refuelling from U-664 while U-760 was being supplied in bad weather. At 10.11 hours, an Avenger/Wildcat team from USS Card located the boats and attacked U-262. The Wildcat strafed her while the Avenger tried to attack with depth charges, but an AA hit in the bomb bay caused the ordnance to hung up and put the radio out of commission. Making a second run, the Avenger was hit again by AA fire and a fuel tank in the starboard wing caught fire. The two manually dropped depth charges severely damaged U-262, but the pilot had to jettison the Fido homing torpedo and ditched the burning aircraft. The radioman went down with the Avenger, while the pilot and the gunner were picked up in the afternoon by USS Barry after being spotted by other aircraft from the escort carrier. The Wildcat was also shot down by the boat during another strafing run and crashed into the sea, killing its pilot. U-262 had to abort her patrol due to the damage. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

8 Aug 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American Wildcat (VC-1 USN, pilot Ens J.F. Sprague)

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

18 Aug 1944
3 men from the boat were killed and 1 more wounded during an air raid on La Pallice. The boat left for its next patrol on 23 August for its traverse to Germany, reaching Flensburg on 5 November.

5 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 August 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from the boat

28 Aug 1944
3 men from the boat were killed and 1 more wounded during an air raid on La Pallice. The boat left for its next patrol on 23 August for its traverse to Germany, reaching Flensburg on 5 November.

Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -