List of all U-boats

U-158

Type

IXC

 
Ordered25 Sep 1939
Laid down1 Nov 1940 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1000)
Launched21 Jun 1941
Commissioned25 Sep 1941Kptlt. Erwin Rostin (Knights Cross)
Commanders
25 Sep 1941 - 30 Jun 1942  Kptlt. Erwin Rostin (Knights Cross)
Career
2 patrols
25 Sep 1941-31 Jan 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1942-30 Jun 1942  10. Flottille (active service)
Successes17 ships sunk, total tonnage 101,321 GRT
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 15,264 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 30 June 1942 in the North Atlantic west of the Bermuda, in position 32.50N, 67.28W, by depth charges from a US Mariner aircraft (VP-74 USN/P-1). 54 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 19 ships hit by U-158 - View the 2 war patrols

All 54 crew members and two prisoners taken from the Latvian merchant Everalda were lost in the sinking of U-158.

Attacks on this boat and other events

30 Jun 1942
The sinking of U-158: U-158 had captured several confidential documents during the sinking of the Everalda SSW of Bermuda on 29 June. Rostin reported information from them to the BdU and his lengthy wireless signals were picked up by Allied stations, allowing them to pinpoint the position of the U-boat by radio direction finding. In the afternoon of 30 June a PBM-3C Mariner flying boat (VP-74 USN/P-1, pilot Lt Richard E. Schreder) on anti-submarine patrol from Bermuda was redirected to the area, picked up a radar contact while flying in low cloud, and completely surprised the U-boat on the surface by diving out of the sun, dropping two depth charges that detonated directly underneath the stern and caused her to sink immediately, leaving behind a large field of wreckage and oil. All 54 U-boat crew and two prisoners taken from Everalda were lost.

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-158 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.


Media links


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay


Torpedoes in the Gulf

Wiggins, Melanie




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