U-662

Type

VIIC

Ordered

9 Oct 1939

Laid down

7 May 1941

Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg (werk 811)

Launched

22 Jan 1942

Commissioned

9 Apr 1942

Kptlt. Wolfgang Hermann

Commanders

9 Apr 1942	-	14 Feb 1943		KrvKpt. Wolfgang Hermann
10 Mar 1943	-	21 Jul 1943		Kptlt. Heinz-Eberhard Müller

Career
4 patrols

9 Apr 1942	-	30 Sep 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942	-	21 Jul 1943	7. Flottille (active service)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 18,609 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,174 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 21 July 1943 in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Amazon estuary, in position 03.56N, 48.46W, by depth charges from a US Catalina aircraft (VP-94 USN/P-4). 44 dead and 3 survivors.

Loss position

See the 4 ships hit by U-662 - View the 4 war patrols

Over a period of only a few days the boat had been attacked by a USAAF B-24 Liberator while hunting convoy TF-2, then came an attack by a B-18 aircraft, and finally squadron VP-94's Catalinas located the U-boat and after one unsuccessful attack another VP-94 aircraft managed to sink it.

The commander and 2 other crew members were fished out of the sea, by the US Navy vessel Siren (former luxury yacht) that was part of escort for convoy TJ-4, after 17 days. Müller was severly wounded in this action and was repatriated to Germany in March 1944 as he was no longer capable of combat. He served as a liason to German U-boat men for the rest of the war.

Wolfpack operations

U-662 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Panther (6 Oct 1942 - 12 Oct 1942)
   Leopard (12 Oct 1942 - 19 Oct 1942)
   Südwärts (24 Oct 1942 - 26 Oct 1942)
   Delphin (4 Nov 1942 - 5 Nov 1942)
   Spitz (22 Dec 1942 - 31 Dec 1942)
   Jaguar (18 Jan 1943 - 31 Jan 1943)
   Without name (27 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
   Adler (7 Apr 1943 - 13 Apr 1943)
   Meise (13 Apr 1943 - 22 Apr 1943)
   Specht (22 Apr 1943 - 4 May 1943)
   Fink (4 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

19 Jul 1943
An American B-24 Liberator (Sqdn 35) dropped four depth charges on the boat. Flak damage discouraged the aircraft from making another run. The boat escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 369)

20 Jul 1943
The boat was attacked for the second time in two days by an American aircraft (Sqdn VP-94), which called in another aircraft, but U-662 again escaped. The boat was lost in a third attack the next day. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 369)

2 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-662 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.