U-198

Type

IXD2

 
Ordered4 Nov 1940
Laid down 1 Aug 1941 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1044)
Launched15 Jun 1942
Commissioned3 Nov 1942Fregkpt. Werner Musenberg *
Commanders
3 Nov 1942 - 15 Jan 1944  Kpt. Werner Hartmann (Knights Cross)
21 Jan 1944 - 12 Aug 1944  Oblt. Burkhard Heusinger von Waldegg
Career2 patrols 3 Nov 1942 - 31 Mar 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 Apr 1943 - 12 Aug 1944  12. Flottille (front boat)
Successes11 ships sunk for a total of 59,690 GRT
Fate

Sunk 12 Aug, 1944 near the Seychelles, in position 03.35S, 52.49E, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Findhorn and the Indian sloop HMIS Godavari. 66 dead (all hands lost).

See the 11 ships hit by U-198 - View the 2 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

5 Apr 1943
At 18.10 hours, the boat was attacked by British Sunderland aircraft (RAF Sqdn 204 / H) with 8 bombs northeast of the Cape Verde Islands. One of them hit the stern and bounced off without detonating.At 20.40 hours, the same Sunderland aircraft dropped 4 bombs on the boat, causing no damages. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

17 May 1943
Attacking a small convoy (LMD 17) the boat was depth charged by its escorts, two ASW trawlers and one aircraft, about 55 charges in all. No damages. One ship sunk. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 297)

19 May 1943
At 20.58 hours, the boat was attacked by British Catalina aircraft (RAF Sqdn 262 / J) with 5 bombs. No damages. The aircraft was damaged by AA fire and had to return to base on one engine. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

31 May 1943
A corvette escorting a small but well escorted convoy in the Indian Ocean attacked the boat and drove it very deep but without serious damages. At 19.43 hours, the boat fired at an approaching British Catalina aircraft (RAF Sqdn 262 / C) and escaped by crash-diving, but then lost the convoy. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

6 Jul 1944
Two Ventura aircraft based in South Africa attacked the boat, which opened fire with the AA guns and fought off the attack. The boat was only damaged slightly and continued its patrol. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 540)

19 Jul 1944
After the boat unsuccessfully fired torpedoes at a freighter, a corvette attacked U-198 with depth charges. No damages. (Sources: Ritschel)

6 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

* Fregkpt. Werner Musenberg only commissioned U-198 in deputise for Fregkpt. Werner Hartmann.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-198 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



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

Wynn, Kenneth


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Books dealing with this subject include:

Feind im Fadenkreuz. Hartmann, Werner, 1942.
German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.