List of all U-boats

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

11 Jun 1942

14 Dec 1942

Ltn. (R) Hans-Botho Bade

Career
1 patrol

11 Jun 1942	-	31 Oct 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1942	-	14 Dec 1942	6. Flottille (active service)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Missing since 14 December 1942 in the North Atlantic south of Iceland. There is no explanation for its loss. 47 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, January 2006).

Loss position

View the 1 war patrol

U-626 sent its last radio message in the morning of 14 December 1942 from the approx. position 58.40N, 20.00W and was posted as missing after failing to report its position on 16 December 1942.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 15 Dec 1942 in the North Atlantic, in position 56.46N, 27.12W, by depth charges from the US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Ingham.
Notes. This atttack took place about 200 nautical miles from where the boat was supposed to be and there is no conclusive evidence that they were even carried out against a U-boat.

General notes on this boat

2 Sep 1942. During training in the Baltic Sea U-626 collided with U-222 which sank west of Pillau, in position 54.25N, 19.30E.

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.