U-262

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

29 May 1941

Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 27)

Launched

10 Mar 1942

Commissioned

15 Apr 1942

Kptlt. Günther Schiebusch

Commanders

15 Apr 1942	-	26 Oct 1942	Kptlt. Günter Schiebusch
Sep, 1942	-	Oct, 1942	Oblt. Siegfried Atzinger
26 Oct 1942	-	25 Jan 1944	Kptlt. Rudolf Heinz Franke (Knights Cross)
25 Jan 1944	-	24 Nov 1944	Oblt. Helmut Wieduwilt
25 Nov 1944	-	2 Apr 1945	Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Laudahn

Career
10 patrols

15 Apr 1942	-	30 Sep 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942	-	9 Nov 1944	3. Flottille (active service)
10 Nov 1944	-	2 Apr 1945	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 13,010 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 925 tons

Fate

Damaged on 19 December 1944 at Gotenhafen by bombs during Soviet air raid. Decommissioned on 2 April 1945 at Kiel, hulk captured there by British forces in May 1945 and broken up in 1947.

See the 4 ships hit by U-262 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-262 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Kreuzotter (15 Nov 1942 - 22 Nov 1942)
   Drachen (22 Nov 1942 - 26 Nov 1942)
   Landsknecht (19 Jan 1943 - 28 Jan 1943)
   Pfeil (1 Feb 1943 - 7 Feb 1943)
   Without name (15 Apr 1943 - 18 Apr 1943)
   Schill (25 Oct 1943 - 16 Nov 1943)
   Schill 1 (16 Nov 1943 - 22 Nov 1943)
   Weddigen (22 Nov 1943 - 29 Nov 1943)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 22 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

26 Sep 1942
On day three of her first patrol the boat was attacked by two RAF Hudsons (pilots E. Tammes and R. Horney) west of Bergen, Norway. The aircraft dropped eight depth charges between them, causing enough damage for the boat to break off patrol and return to base, reaching Bergen two days later. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 23.)

15 Apr 1943
While shadowing convoy HX 233 the boat was fired on and depth charged by escorts. The boat was en route to Prince Edward Island to collect escapees from a planned break out from the POW camp there (Operation Elster). The boat evaded the escorts and made the rendezvous, but no POWs showed up. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 226, http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/41_49P/49P_08.html)

8 Aug 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American Avenger (VC-1 USN, pilot Lt (jg) A.H. Sallenger)

a.m., mid Atlantic south of Greenland, severe weather conditions: U-262 was awaiting refuelling from U-664 while U-760 was being supplied. At 10.11 hrs, an Avenger/Wildcat team from USS Card located the boats and attacked U-262. The Wildcat strafed the boat while the Avenger tried to drop depth charges, but an AA hit in the bomb bay had damaged the release mechanism, and put the radio out of commission. Making a second run, the Avenger was hit by flak again, setting a fuel tank in the starboard wing on fire. Two depth charges were launched manually, causing severe damage, but the pilot was forced to jettison a Fido homing torpedo and ditch the burning aircraft. The radioman went down with the Avenger, but the pilot and gunner were picked up in the afternoon by USS Barry after being sighted by other aircraft from the escort carrier. The Wildcat was also shot down by U-262 during another strafing run and crashed into the sea, killing its pilot. Damage forced U-262 to return to base. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

8 Aug 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American Wildcat (VC-1 USN, pilot Ens J.F. Sprague)

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

18 Aug 1944
Three men were killed and wounded during an air raid on La Pallice. The boat left for her next patrol and transit to Germany on 23 August, reaching Flensburg on 5 November.

5 recorded attacks on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in August 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date.

Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from the boat

18 Aug 1944
Three men were killed and wounded during an air raid on La Pallice. The boat left for her next patrol and transit to Germany on 23 August, reaching Flensburg on 5 November.

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