List of all U-boats
U-652
Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||
Ordered | 9 Oct 1939 | |||||||||||||
Laid down | 5 Feb 1940 | Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg (werk 801) | ||||||||||||
Launched | 7 Feb 1941 | |||||||||||||
Commissioned | 3 Apr 1941 | Oblt. Georg-Werner Fraatz | ||||||||||||
Commanders |
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Career 9 patrols |
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Successes | 3 ships sunk, total tonnage 10,775 GRT 1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 558 GRT 2 warships sunk, total tonnage 2,740 tons 2 ships damaged, total tonnage 9,918 GRT 1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 10,917 GRT | |||||||||||||
Fate |
Scuttled at 1050hrs on 2 June 1942 in the Mediterranean Sea in the Gulf of Sollum, in position 31.55N, 25.13E, by a torpedo from U-81, after being badly damaged by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft (815 Sqn FAA/L). 46 survivors (no casualties). | |||||||||||||
Loss position |
Wolfpack operations
U-652 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Grönland (23 Aug 1941 - 27 Aug 1941)
Markgraf (27 Aug 1941 - 16 Sep 1941)
Attacks on this boat and other events
4 Sep 1941
On 4 September 1941 a British bomber signalled the American destroyer USS Greer that a U-boat was in the vicinity. Greer picked up a sonar contact at close range and started to track the boat. The aircraft dropped four depth charges and then left the scene. Shortly afterwards U-652 fired a torpedo at the US warship, perhaps believing she was responsible. Greer then went on the attack, and a two hour battle followed, during which she dropped 19 depth charges and the U-boat fired another torpedo - no damage to either side. President Roosevelt used this event in his campaign to convince the US to go to war against Germany, and the "undeclared war" between U-boats and US escorts escalated dramatically from this point.
11 Dec 1941
At 1439 hours (Berlin time), while west of Ustica Island in position 38.42N, 12.51E, the Dutch submarine HrMs O 24 (Lt.Cdr. O. de Booy, RNN) fired three torpedoes at a German U-boat. A full bow salvo of four torpedoes was intended but the enemy changes course after the third torpedo had been fired which then all missed. The fourth bow torpedo was not fired. According to the German log U-652 spotted the periscope of the attacker and course was changed. Shortly afterwards two torpedo tracks were sighted.
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-652 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
U-boat Emblems
We have 2 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.
Sword on Shield |
Water bearer |
Media links
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