German submarine U-402

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-402
Ordered23 September 1939
BuilderDanziger Werft, Danzig
Yard number103
Laid down22 April 1940
Launched28 December 1940
Commissioned21 May 1941
FateSunk on 13 October 1943 by Mark 24 FIDO Torpedo from Grumman TBF Avenger aircraft of USS Card
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 43 571
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 8 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 26 October – 9 December 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 11 January – 11 February 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 26 March – 20 May 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • 16 June – 5 August 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 4 October – 20 November 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 14 January – 23 February 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • 21 April – 26 May 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 4 September – 13 October 1943
Victories:
  • 14 merchant ships sunk
    (70,434 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (602 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (28,682 GRT)

German submarine U-402 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was laid down at the Danziger Werft in the city of the same name on 22 April 1940 as yard number 103, launched on 28 December 1940[1] and was commissioned on 21 May 1941, with Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Freiherr von Forstner in command.[2]

The boat commenced her career with the 3rd U-boat Flotilla on 21 May 1941 carrying-out training before moving on to operations on 1 October 1941. U-402 carried out eight combat patrols, sinking 14 merchantmen and one auxiliary warship for a total of 71,036 gross register tons (GRT) during the Second World War. She also damaged three other ships. The submarine was a member of twelve wolfpacks.

For his numerous successes, von Forstner received the Knight's Cross.

  1. ^ Lenton 1976, p. 180.
  2. ^ Kemp 1999, p. 150.