List of all U-boats

U-197

Type

IXD2

 
Ordered4 Nov 1940
Laid down5 Jul 1941 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1043)
Launched21 May 1942
Commissioned10 Oct 1942Kptlt. Robert Bartels
Commanders
10 Oct 1942 - 20 Aug 1943  KrvKpt. Robert Bartels (German Cross in Gold)
Career
1 patrol
10 Oct 1942-31 Mar 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1943-20 Aug 1943  12. Flottille (active service)
Successes3 ships sunk, total tonnage 21,267 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,181 GRT
Fate

Sunk 20 Aug 1943 south of Madagascar, in position 28.40S, 42.36E, by depth charges from 2 British Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. 259/C & 265/N). 67 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 4 ships hit by U-197 - View the 1 war patrol

Attacks on this boat and other events

20 May 1943
The boat was strafed and bombed by an American B-25 Mitchell bomber northeast of Ascension Island. The periscope was damaged and one man wounded by gunfire, who died the next day. [Bootsmaat Viktor Rainer] (Sources: Ritschel)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

4 Nov 1942
Obermaschinist Alfred Wernicke died following an accident in Kiel.

20 May 1943
The boat was strafed and bombed by an American B-25 Mitchell bomber northeast of Ascension Island. The periscope was damaged and one man wounded by gunfire, who died the next day. [Bootsmaat Viktor Rainer]

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -


Media links


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

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Dark Sky, Deep Water

Franks, Norman




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