List of all U-boats

U-620

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered15 Aug 1940
Laid down19 Jun 1941 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 596)
Launched9 Mar 1942
Commissioned30 Apr 1942Oblt. Heinz Stein
Commanders
30 Apr 1942 - 13 Feb 1943  Kptlt. Heinz Stein
Career
2 patrols
30 Apr 1942-30 Sep 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942-13 Feb 1943  3. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 6,983 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 13 February 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of Lisbon, Portugal, in position 39.18N, 11.17W, by five depth charges from a British Catalina aircraft (202 Sqn RAF/J). 47 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, September 1988).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-620 - View the 2 war patrols

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
1935hrs, NE of the Faeroe Islands: the boat was located by a Whitley aircraft (612 Sqn RAF/R) on A/S sweep which used cloud cover in an attempt to surprise U-620, but she was already submerging as six 260lb depth charges were dropped ahead of the bows. 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 ONS-136 for six hours. Date is approximate. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 39.)

24 Oct 1942
An unidentified land-based aircraft attacked and seriously damaged the boat while she was hunting convoy ON-139. The boat abandoned the attack and moved to a new area. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 43.)

10 Nov 1942
1430hrs, 15 miles NNW of El Ferrol, Spain, inbound: boat was attacked by a British Whitley (502 Sqn RAF/G). 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 less than half a mile with the front gunner returning fire. The AA gunners had not anticipated this maneouver, and as they had opened fire too early their clips were empty as the Whitley attacked from the starboard beam and dropped six depth charges about 100ft (30m) ahead of the boat. The explosions were too far away to cause damage, but machine gun fire from the rear gunner mortally wounded one man [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 the boat

10 Nov 1942
1430hrs, 15 miles NNW of El Ferrol, Spain, inbound: boat was attacked by a British Whitley (502 Sqn RAF/G). 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 less than half a mile with the front gunner returning fire. The AA gunners had not anticipated this maneouver, and as they had opened fire too early their clips were empty as the Whitley attacked from the starboard beam and dropped six depth charges about 100ft (30m) ahead of the boat. The explosions were too far away to cause damage, but machine gun fire from the rear gunner mortally wounded one man [Bootsmaat Josef Leisten]. U-620 escaped further attacks by crash diving immediately afterwards.

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


Media links


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

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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