U-626
Type | VIIC | |||
| Ordered | 15 Aug 1940 | |||
| Laid down | 28 Jul 1941 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 602) | ||
| Launched | 15 Apr 1942 | |||
| Commissioned | 11 Jun 1942 | Ltnt. Hans-Botho Bade | ||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 1 patrol | 11 Jun 1942 - 31 Oct 1942 5. Flottille (training) 1 Nov 1942 - 15 Dec 1942 6. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||
| Fate | Sunk 15 Dec, 1942 in the North Atlantic, in position 56.46N, 27.12W, by depth charges from the US coastguard cutter USS Ingham. 47 dead (all hands lost). | |||
The claim for this sinking appears to be based only on the fact that the cutter reported sinking a U-boat in the approximate area in which U-626 disappeared after its last signal on 14 Dec. The attack of USS Ingham is not supported by any conclusive evidence that it was even against a U-boat.
General notes on this boat
The coast guard cutter Ingham still exists and is on display at the Patriots Point Naval Museum in Charleston, USA.
8 Dec 1942. U-626 left her base at Bergen, Norway, on 8 Dec, 1942 for her maiden patrol.
She was one of two operational U-boats to have a Commander who was only Leutnant zur See (the other was U-155 in 1944).
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-626 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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