U-652

Type

VIIC

Ordered

9 Oct, 1939

Laid down

5 Feb, 1940

Howaldtswerke, Hamburg (werk 801)

Launched

7 Feb, 1941

Commissioned

3 Apr, 1941

Oblt. Georg-Werner Fraatz

Commanders

3 Apr, 1941 - 2 Jun, 1942

Georg-Werner Fraatz

Career

8 patrols

3 Apr, 1941 - 30 Jun, 1941  3. Flottille (training)
1 Jul, 1941 - 31 Dec, 1941  3. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jan, 1942 - 2 Jun, 1942  29. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

2 ships sunk for a total of 8.152 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 558 GRT
2 warships sunk for a total of 2.740 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 9.918 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged for a total of 10.917 GRT

Fate

Badly damaged by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft and scuttled on 2 June, 1942 in the Mediterranean in the Gulf of Solum, in position 31.55N, 25.11E, by torpedoes from U-81. 46 survivors (No casualties).

See the 8 ships hit by U-652 - View the 8 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

4 Sep, 1941
On 4 September 1941, the American destroyer USS Greer had been signaled by a British bomber, that a German submarine was hiding in the vicinity. Greer found sound contact, and started to pursue the U-boat (U-652) from close range. The aircraft dropped 4 depth charges, and left the scene, leaving the two fighting ships. Soon after the U-boat fired a torpedo at the US warship, perhaps believing she dropped the four bombs. After this USS Greer went into attack, and a 2 hour battle followed, during which she dropped 19 depth charges, and the U-boat fired another torpedo, without results. President Roosevelt used this event in his campaign to convince the US to go to war, and the \"undeclared war\" between U-boats and US escorts escaleted dramatically.

1 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-652 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.