List of all U-boats
U-620
Type | VIIC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 15 Aug 1940 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 19 Jun 1941 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 596) | ||||||||
| Launched | 9 Mar 1942 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 30 Apr 1942 | Oblt. Heinz Stein | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 2 patrols |
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| Successes | 1 ship sunk, total tonnage 6,983 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk 13 Feb, 1943 north-west of Lisbon, Portugal, in position 39.18N, 11.17W, by 5 depth charges from a British Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. 202/J). 47 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, September 1988). | |||||||||
| Loss position | ||||||||||
Previously recorded fate
- Sunk by the British Catalina aircraft (RAF 202/J) on 14 Feb, 1943 in position 39.27N, 11.34W. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was instead against the U-381 causing no damages to that boat.
Wolfpack operations
U-620 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Luchs (27 Sep 1942 - 6 Oct 1942)
Panther (6 Oct 1942 - 11 Oct 1942)
Leopard (12 Oct 1942 - 19 Oct 1942)
Südwärts (24 Oct 1942 - 26 Oct 1942)
Delphin (26 Dec 1942 - 13 Feb 1943)
Attacks on this boat and other events
16 Sep 1942
At 19.35 hours, the boat was attacked by a Whitley aircraft (612 Sqn RAF/R) on A/S sweep northeast of the Faroe Islands. The aircraft tried to use a cloud as cover to surprise U-620, but she was already submerging when six 260lb depth charges were dropped ahead of the bow and caused no damage. (Sources: KTB U-620/ADM 199-1783)
12 Oct 1942
U-620 escaped with minor damage after being hunted by escorts from convoy ON(S)-136 for six hours. Date is approximate. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 39.)
24 Oct 1942
An unknown land-based aircraft attacked and seriously damaged the boat while she was hunting convoy ON 139. The boat aborted the convoy attack and went to a new area. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 43.)
10 Nov 1942
At 14.30 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by a Whitley aircraft (502 Sqn RAF/G) about 15 nautical miles north-northwest of El Ferrol, Spain. The aircraft made a sharp turn to starboard to evade AA fire from the U-boat during the first approach and then turned again to attack from under half a mile with the front gunner returning fire. The AA gunners had not anticipated this maneuver and as they had opened fire too early their clips were empty when the Whitley attacked from the starboard beam and dropped six depth charges about 100 feet ahead of the U-boat. The explosions were too far away to cause damage, but machine gun fire from the rear gunner mortally wounded one crew member [Bootsmaat Josef Leisten]. U-620 escaped further attacks by crash diving immediately afterwards. (Sources: KTB U-620, ADM 199/1783)
4 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-620 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
Media links
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