German submarine U-166 (1941)From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
For other ships of the same name, see German submarine U-166.

Career
Name: U-166
Ordered: 25 September 1939
Builder: Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, Bremen
Yard number: 705
Laid down: 6 December 1940
Launched: 1 November 1941
Commissioned: 23 March 1942
Fate: Sunk, 30 July 1942
General characteristics
Type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement: 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length: 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) o/a
58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) o/a
4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW)
2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed: 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced
7.7 knots (14.3 km/h) submerged
Range: 24,880 nmi (46,080 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 48 to 56
Armament: • 6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern)
• 22 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes
• 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds)
• AA guns

Service record[1][2]
Part of: 4th U-boat Flotilla
(23 March–31 May 1942)
10th U-boat Flotilla
(1 June 1942–30 July 1942)
Commanders: Oblt. Hans-Günther Kuhlmann
(23 March 1942–30 July 1942)
Operations: 1st patrol: 1–10 June 1942
2nd patrol: 17 June–30 July 1942
Victories: 4 commercial ships sunk (7,593 GRT)

German submarine U-166 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 6 December 1940 at the Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG (DeSchiMAG) yard at Bremen, launched on 1 November 1941, and commissioned on 23 March 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Kuhlmann. After training with 4. Unterseebootsflottille, U-166 was transferred to 10. Unterseebootsflottille for front-line service on 1 June 1942. The U-boat sailed on only two war patrols and sank four ships totalling 7,593 gross register tons (GRT).[1] She was sunk on 30 July 1942.[3]

Contents [hide]
1 Service history
1.1 1st patrol
1.2 2nd patrol
1.3 Fate
2 Wreckage located in 2001
3 References
4 External links
5 See also

[edit] Service history[edit] 1st patrolU-166 first sailed from Kiel to Kristiansand, Norway, on 30–31 May 1942.[2] The U-boat sailed on her first combat patrol, from Kristiansand on 1 June 1942, around the British Isles, and arrived at Lorient, France, ten days later on 10 June.[4]

[edit] 2nd patrolU-166 departed from Lorient on 17 June 1942, sailed across the Atlantic and into the Gulf of Mexico,[5] and is credited with the following "kills":[6]

11 July 1942: Carmen, 84 tons
13 July 1942: Oneida, 2,309 tons
16 July 1942: Gertrude, 16 tons
30 July 1942: Robert E. Lee, 5,184 tons
[edit] FateSS Robert E. Lee was under escort from the United States Navy patrol craft USS PC-566 approximately 45 miles (72 km) south of the Mississippi River Delta when she was torpedoed by U-166. The PC-566 immediately attacked the U-boat, and claimed to have sunk her with depth charges.

On 1 August 1942, a United States Coast Guard Widgeon amphibious aircraft, spotted a U-boat approximately 100 miles (160 km) off the coast of Houma, Louisiana. The aircraft attacked, and it appeared that the U-boat was hit in the attack. U-166 was reported missing in action on 30 July 1942, which coincided with the American aircraft's attack on "a U-Boat", leading to the aircraft being credited with the sinking of U-166. Both airmen were decorated for the action.[6][7][8]

[edit] Wreckage located in 2001However, in 2001, when the wreck of Robert E. Lee was located, in a depth of more than 5,000 feet (1,500 m) of water, the wreck of U-166 was also located, less than two miles from where it had attacked the Robert E. Lee. Upon investigation, it was discovered that another U-boat, U-171, also operating in the Gulf of Mexico, had reported coming under attack from an American aircraft on 1 August 1942, with little damage. Therefore, the credit for the sinking of U-166 should have gone to PC-566.[7][9][10]

The site where U-166 lies, at 28°37?N 90°45?W? / ?28.617°N 90.75°W? / 28.617; -90.75Coordinates: 28°37?N 90°45?W? / ?28.617°N 90.75°W? / 28.617; -90.75 has now been designated a war grave due to its crew of 52 being entombed there, and is protected from any future attempts to salvage it.[11]