German submarine U-158 (1941)

German submarine U-158 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-158.
U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-158
Ordered: 25 September 1939
Builder: DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number: 1000
Laid down: 1 October 1940
Launched: 21 June 1941[1]
Commissioned: 25 September 1941[1]
Fate: Sunk 30 June 1942, west of Bermuda, by a US aircraft[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:
Beam:
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Range:
  • 13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[2]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Erwin Rostin
  • 25 September 1941 – 30 June 1942
Operations: Two patrols
Victories:
  • 17 ships sunk for a total of 101,321 GRT
  • Two ships damaged for a total of 15,264 GRT

Her keel was laid down on 1 November 1940 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen as yard number 1000. She was commissioned on 25 September 1941, with Kapitänleutnant Erwin Rostin (Knights Cross) in command.[2]

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-158 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-158 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]

Service history

U-158 conducted only two combat patrols, sinking 17 ships totalling 101,321 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging two others totalling 15,264 tons.[2]

1st patrol

U-158 departed the German administered island of Helgoland, (sometimes spelt 'Heligoland'), for her first patrol on 7 February 1942. Her route took her north of the British Isles, through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and into the Atlantic Ocean.

Her first victim was Empire Celt, sunk about 420 nmi (780 km; 480 mi) south southeast of St Johns on 24 February. The ship broke in two after being hit and the stern section was last seen on 4 March. In the same attack, the U-boat also damaged Diloma. This tanker was able to proceed under her own power at reduced speed. She was repaired in Baltimore and returned to service in June 1942.

The submarine then moved further down the US east coast. She sank another four ships and damaged one more. They were: Finnanger (1 March), Caribsea (11 March), John D. Gill (13 March), Olean (damaged on 15 March) and Ario (also on 15 March).[4]

John D. Gill was another tanker; her cargo did not ignite on being hit by a torpedo. Instead, the surrounding water was turned into a blazing inferno after a seaman threw a life ring overboard and its built-in carbide lamp malfunctioned. Almost half the crew died.

Olean was towed to Hampton Roads, rebuilt and renamed Sweep and then returned to service.[5]

Having caused so much mayhem, the boat sailed for France, arriving at Lorient on 31 March 1942.

2nd patrol

For her second foray, U-158 moved into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in May 1942. On the way she sank Darina about 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) east southeast of Bermuda on 4 May and Frank B. Baird on the 22nd.[6]

Following the sinking of Knoxville City on 2 June, the survivors in their lifeboats declined an offer of help from Jamaica as they thought the German submarine was still nearby.

The Hermis, despite being hit by two torpedoes on the 7th, maintained a speed of eight knots due to the engines still running. The U-boat surfaced and shelled the ship. She was observed some twelve hours later with her stern out of the water; she eventually sank shortly afterward.

Fate

U-158 was sunk on 30 June 1942, west of the Bermudas, in position 32°50′N 67°28′W, by depth charges from a PBM Mariner aircraft commanded by Richard Schreder of United States Navy Squadron VP-74. None of her 54 crewmen on board survived the sinking.[1][2]

Summary of raiding history
DateShipNationalityTonnage[Note 1]Fate[7]
24 February 1942 Diloma  United Kingdom 8,146 Damaged
24 February 1942 Empire Celt  United Kingdom 8,032 Sunk
1 March 1942 Finnager  Norway 9,551 Sunk
11 March 1942 Caribsea  United States 2,609 Sunk
13 March 1942 John D. Gill  United States 11,641 Sunk
15 March 1942 Ario  United States 6,952 Sunk
15 March 1942 Olean  United States 7,118 Damaged
20 May 1942 Darina  United Kingdom 8,113 Sunk
22 May 1942 Frank D. Baird  Canada 1,748 Sunk
2 June 1942 Knoxville City  United States 5,686 Sunk
4 June 1942 Nidarnes  Norway 2,647 Sunk
5 June 1942 Velma Lykes  United States 2,572 Sunk
7 June 1942 Hermis  Panama 5,234 Sunk
11 June 1942 Sheherazade  Panama 13,467 Sunk
12 June 1942 Cities Service Toledo  United States 8,192 Sunk
17 June 1942 Moira  Norway 1,560 Sunk
17 June 1942 San Blas  Panama 3,601 Sunk
23 June 1942 Major General Henry Gibbins  United States Navy 5,766 Sunk
23 June 1942 Everalda  Latvia 3,950 Sunk

References

Notes
  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations
  1. Kemp 1999, p. 83.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-158". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 22 February 2010.
  3. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-158". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  5. Helgason, Guðmundur. "John D. Gill". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 October 2014.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War patrols of German U-boat U-153". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  7. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-158". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 October 2014.

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). Ships hit by U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-158". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 158". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2014.

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