List of all U-boats

U-652

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered9 Oct 1939
Laid down5 Feb 1940 Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg (werk 801)
Launched7 Feb 1941
Commissioned3 Apr 1941Oblt. Georg-Werner Fraatz
Commanders
3 Apr 1941 - 2 Jun 1942  Oblt. Georg-Werner Fraatz (German Cross in Gold)
Career
9 patrols
3 Apr 1941-30 Jun 1941  3. Flottille (training)
1 Jul 1941-31 Dec 1941  3. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1942-2 Jun 1942  29. Flottille (active service)
Successes3 ships sunk, total tonnage 10,775 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 558 GRT
2 warships sunk, total tonnage 2,740 tons
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 9,918 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 10,917 GRT
Fate

Scuttled at 1050hrs on 2 June 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea in the Gulf of Sollum, in position 31.55N, 25.13E, by a torpedo from U-81, after being badly damaged by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (815 Sqn FAA/L). 46 survivors (no casualties).

Loss position

See the 9 ships hit by U-652 - View the 9 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-652 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Grönland (23 Aug 1941 - 27 Aug 1941)
   Markgraf (27 Aug 1941 - 16 Sep 1941)

Attacks on this boat and other events

4 Sep 1941
On 4 September 1941 a British bomber signalled the American destroyer USS Greer that a U-boat was in the vicinity. Greer picked up a sonar contact at close range and started to track the boat. The aircraft dropped four depth charges and then left the scene. Shortly afterwards U-652 fired a torpedo at the US warship, perhaps believing she was responsible. Greer then went on the attack, and a two hour battle followed, during which she dropped 19 depth charges and the U-boat fired another torpedo - no damage to either side. President Roosevelt used this event in his campaign to convince the US to go to war against Germany, and the "undeclared war" between U-boats and US escorts escalated dramatically from this point.

11 Dec 1941
At 1439 hours (Berlin time), while west of Ustica Island in position 38.42N, 12.51E, the Dutch submarine HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) fired three torpedoes at a German U-boat. A full bow salvo of four torpedoes was intended but the enemy changes course after the third torpedo had been fired which then all missed. The fourth bow torpedo was not fired. According to the German log U-652 spotted the periscope of the attacker and course was changed. Shortly afterwards two torpedo tracks were sighted.

2 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-652 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 2 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Sword on Shield

Water bearer

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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