U-657

Type

VIIC

Ordered

9 Oct, 1939

Laid down

5 Oct, 1940

Howaldtswerke, Hamburg (werk 806)

Launched

12 Aug, 1941

Commissioned

8 Oct, 1941

Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Radke

Commanders

8 Oct, 1941 - 14 Dec, 1941	Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Radke
20 Dec, 1941 - 17 May, 1943	KrvKpt. Heinrich Göllnitz

Career

7 patrols

8 Oct, 1941 - 28 Feb, 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1942 - 30 Jun, 1942  3. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jul, 1942 - 17 May, 1943  11. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

1 ship sunk for a total of 5.196 GRT

Fate

Sunk 17 May, 1943 east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 58.54N, 42.33W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Swale. 47 dead (all hands lost).

See the 1 ships hit by U-657 - View the 7 war patrols

Previously recorded fate (Last revised by FDS/NHB during June 1992). More on revised fates

Sunk 14 May, 1943 east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 60.10N, 31.52W, by an American Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. VP-82/C) using air dropped MK 24 torpedo.

This attack was probably also against U-657 but did not inflict lethal damage.

Attacks on this boat

27 Apr, 1942
The boat was damaged in an Allied air raid on the harbor at Trondheim, Norway. One crew member was injured.

14 May, 1943
The boat was unsuccessfully attacked by an American Catalina aircraft (USN VP-84) east of Cape Farewell. (Sources: Kenneth Wynn)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

14 Dec, 1941
Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Radke of U-657 was killed in a fire on the living quarters ship Black Prince on 14 Dec, 1941. That fire killed 28 men. The boat was still going through trials at the time.

14 Apr, 1942
One men died in an accident in the shipyard at Trondheim, Norway. [Fähnrich zur See Alfred von Tirpitz]

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