U-613

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

6 May 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 589)

Launched

29 Jan 1942

Commissioned

12 Mar 1942

Kptlt. Helmut Köppe

Commanders

12 Mar 1942 - 23 Jul 1943

KrvKpt. Helmut Köppe

Career

4 patrols

12 Mar 1942 - 31 Oct 1942 8. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1942 - 23 Jul 1943 3. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

2 ships sunk for a total of 8,087 GRT

Fate

Sunk 23 July, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic south of the Azores, in position 35.32N, 28.36W, by depth charges from the US destroyer USS George E. Badger. 48 dead (all hands lost).

See the 2 ships hit by U-613 - View the 4 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-613 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Natter (1 Nov 1942 - 8 Nov 1942)
   Habicht (12 Jan 1943 - 19 Jan 1943)
   Haudegen (22 Jan 1943 - 9 Feb 1943)
   Adler (7 Apr 1943 - 12 Apr 1943)
   Meise (20 Apr 1943 - 27 Apr 1943)

Attacks on this boat

17 Nov 1942
The new boat was attacked by a British Hudson bomber (Sqdn, 608, pilot J. B. R. Petrie) and seriously damaged. She managed to limp to France with assistance from other boats. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 113)

1 May 1943
At 00.07 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by the British Wellington aircraft (172 Sqdn RAF/N, pilot Sgt P.W. Phillips) in the Bay of Biscay. The aircraft used Leigh Light to strafe its target and dropped six depth charges. The boat crash-dived and suffered only light damages, but the hydraulics and the port tyre of the aircraft had been damaged by AA fire and it crash-landed back at the base at Predannack, no casualties among the crew of six.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-613 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.