German submarine U-61 (1939)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-61.
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-61
Ordered21 July 1937
BuilderDeutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Yard number260
Laid down1 October 1938
Launched15 June 1939
Commissioned12 August 1939
FateScuttled at Wilhelmshaven, 5 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and typeType IIC coastal submarine
Displacement
  • 291 t (286 long tons) surfaced
  • 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a)
  • 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power
  • 700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels)
  • 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced
  • 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth80 m (260 ft)
Complement3 officers, 22 men
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 05 425
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Oesten
  • 12 August 1939 – 28 July 1940
  • Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler
  • 28 July – 5 November 1940
  • Oblt.z.S. Willy Matke
  • 5 November 1940 – 4 May 1941
  • Oblt.z.S. Hans Lange
  • 5 May 1941 – 15 January 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Horst Geider
  • 16 January – 9 November 1942
  • Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Ley
  • 10 November 1942 – 15 September 1943
  • Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Schultze
  • 16 September 1943 – 1 December 1944
  • Lt.z.S. Werner Zapf
  • 2 December 1944 – 27 March 1945
Operations:
  • 10 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 24 October – 14 November 1939
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 28 November – 3 December 1939
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 7 – 18 December 1939
  • 4th patrol:
  • 15 – 30 January 1940
  • 5th patrol:
  • a. 12 – 27 February 1940
  • b. 29 February – 1 March 1940
  • 6th patrol:
  • 11 April – 7 May 1940
  • 7th patrol:
  • 6 June – 1 July 1940
  • 8th patrol:
  • 6 – 25 July 1940
  • 9th patrol:
  • 29 August – 15 September 1940
  • 10th patrol:
  • 24 September – 10 October 1940
Victories:
  • 5 merchant ships sunk
    (19,668 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (4,434 GRT)[1]

German submarine U-61 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. It was built by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel. Ordered on 21 June 1937, it was laid down on 1 October as yard number 260. It was launched on 15 June 1939 and commissioned on 12 August under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Oesten.

U-61 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during its training period, until 1 January 1940, when it was reassigned to the 1st flotilla for a front-line combat role. U-61 carried out eleven war patrols, sinking five ships for a total of 19,668 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one of 4,434 tons. It then joined the 21st flotilla as a 'school' or training boat in November 1940 where it remained for the rest of the war.[2]

It was scuttled at Wilhelmshaven on 5 May 1945.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-61". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 November 2012.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIC boat U-61". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 September 2011.