Login
Login

German submarine U-652

{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox ship begin}}

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

}}

{{Infobox ship career

|Hide header=

|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-652

|Ship ordered=9 October 1939

|Ship builder=Howaldtswerke, Hamburg

|Ship yard number=801

|Ship laid down=5 February 1940

|Ship launched=7 February 1941

|Ship commissioned=3 April 1941

|Ship homeport=

|Ship motto=

|Ship nickname=

|Ship fate=Scuttled on 2 June 1942

|Ship notes=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

  • {{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
  • {{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

  • {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
  • {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

  • {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
  • {{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

  • {{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
  • {{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

|Ship speed=

  • {{convert|17.7|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
  • {{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

  • {{convert|8500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
  • {{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

  • {{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
  • Crush depth: {{convert|250|–|295|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

|Ship notes=

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u652.htm

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-652

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u652.html

|title=War Patrols by German U-boat U-652

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}

|partof=

|codes=M 42 644

|commanders=

  • Oblt.z.S. Georg-Werner Fraatz
  • 3 April 1941 – 2 June 1942

|operations=*9 patrols:

  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 23 July – 7 August 1941
  • b. 9 – 13 August 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 23 August – 18 September 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 1 November – 12 December 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 14 December 1941 – 1 January 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 5 – 16 February 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 21 February – 1 March 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 12 – 14 March 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • 18 – 31 March 1942
  • 9th patrol:
  • 25 May – 2 June 1942

|victories=

  • 3 merchant ships sunk
    ({{GRT|10,775}})
  • 2 warships sunk
    (2,740 tons)
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    ({{GRT|558}})
  • 2 merchant ships damaged
    ({{GRT|9,918}})
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    ({{GRT|10,917}})

}}

German submarine U-652 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 5 February 1940 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 7 February 1941, and commissioned on 3 April 1941 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Georg-Werner Fraatz.

Attached to 3rd U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-652 completed her training period on 30 June 1941 and was assigned to front-line service. In September 1941 she was involved in the "Greer Incident", attacking and being counter-attacked by the supposedly neutral American destroyer {{USS|Greer|DD-145|3}}, an incident that brought the United States closer to war with Germany. As a direct result of the Greer incident the US President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a speech on 11 September 1941 in which he confirmed that all US ships had been ordered to shoot on sight at all Axis ships and submarines in the Battle of the Atlantic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cfr.org/blog/twe-remembers-fdrs-shoot-sight-fireside-chat|title=TWE Remembers: FDR's "Shoot-on-Sight" Fireside Chat|newspaper=Council on Foreign Relations}} U-652 was transferred to 29th U-boat Flotilla based at La Spezia, Italy on 1 January 1942. She was scuttled on 2 June 1942.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-652 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-652 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between 44 and 60.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

=First patrol=

U-652 left Kiel on 19 June 1941 and sailed to Bökfjord near Kirkenes, via Horten Naval Base and Trondheim, arriving on 22 July. Her first combat patrol began the next day, on 23 July, patrolling the coast of the Kola Peninsula.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1953.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 23 July 1941 to 7 August 1941 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}} There on 6 August at 19:00 she torpedoed and sank the 558 GRT Soviet despatch vessel PS-70 seven miles off Cape Teriberka, about {{Convert|50|km}} east of Murmansk. The 12 survivors from the crew of 57 were rescued by motorboats sent from the nearby coast. This was the first U-boat success in the Arctic Sea.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1054.html

|title=PS-70 (Despatch vessel) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}

The U-boat returned to Kirkenes on 7 August after 16 days at sea, and after two days headed for Trondheim, arriving there on 13 August.

=Second patrol=

U-652 sailed from Trondheim on 23 August 1941 and headed out into the Atlantic waters between Greenland and Iceland.

As part of wolfpack Grönland, at 00:44 on 26 August the U-boat fired a spread of three torpedoes at a British naval convoy running south-south-east and observed a hit on the 10,917 GRT auxiliary minelayer {{HMS|Southern Prince|M47|6}}, which soon came to a halt. Another torpedo was fired at the vessel at 00:53, but missed. The destroyers {{HMS|Lightning|G55|6}} and {{HMS|Lamerton|L88|2}} sailed from Scapa Flow to assist the damaged ship and escorted her to The Minches. She was repaired at Belfast.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1074.html

|title=HMS Southern Prince (Auxiliary minelayer) – Ships hit by U-boats

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}

As part of wolfpack Markgraf, on 10 September at 04:52 U-652 fired two single torpedoes at ships of Convoy SC 42 north-east of Cape Farewell, and damaged two British ships. The 6,508 GRT tanker Tahchee caught fire and was abandoned. The crew later reboarded the vessel and managed to put out the fire. The ship was towed to Reykjavík by {{HMCS|Orillia|K119|6}} and after repairs was towed to the Tyne, repaired and returned to service in November 1942.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1094.html

|title=Tahchee (Steam tanker) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}} The 3,410 GRT merchant ship Baron Pentland remained afloat due her cargo of timber despite a broken back, but was later torpedoed and sunk by {{GS|U-372||2}} on 19 September.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1112.html

|title=Baron Pentland (Steam merchant) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}

==The ''Greer'' incident==

On 4 September 1941, off Iceland, the American destroyer {{USS|Greer|DD-145|2}} received a signal from a British bomber that a German submarine was in the vicinity. Greer made sonar contact, and pursued the U-652 at close range. The aircraft dropped four depth charges, and soon after the U-boat fired a torpedo at the US warship, perhaps believing she had launched the attack. Oblt.z.S. Fraatz also misidentified the destroyer as "one of the 50 American vessels that are now sailing for England". A two-hour battle ensued.

U-652 arrived at Lorient, France, on 18 September after 27 days on patrol.

=Third patrol=

U-652 left Lorient on 1 November 1941, and headed out into the mid-Atlantic, before sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1956.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 1 November 1941 to 12 December 1941 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}} There, south of the Balearic Islands, on 9 December she hit the 1,595 GRT Vichy French merchant ship Saint Denis with a single torpedo, which sank her immediately.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1215.html

|title=Saint Denis (Steam merchant) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}}

U-652 arrived at Messina on 12 December after 42 days at sea.

=Fourth patrol=

The U-boat departed Messina on 14 December 1941 and sailed around Greece into the Aegean Sea.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1957.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 14 December 1941 to 1 January 1942 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}} There at 21:34 on 19 December she torpedoed the unescorted 6,557 GRT Soviet tanker Varlaam Avanesov, which sank two hours later 2.5 miles off Cape Babakale, Çanakkale Province, Turkey. The survivors abandoned ship in lifeboats, reached the Turkish coast and were later repatriated.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1230.html

|title=Varlaam Avanesov (Motor tanker) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=16 February 2010

}} The U-boat arrived at La Spezia on 1 January 1942, where she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla.

=Fifth, sixth and seventh patrols=

After sailing from La Spezia to Salamis in early February 1942, U-652 carried out two short and uneventful patrols.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1959.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 21 February 1942 to 1 March 1942 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}}{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1960.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 12 March 1942 to 14 March 1942 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}}

=Eighth patrol=

Departing Salamis on 18 March 1942 U-652 headed for the coast of North Africa.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1961.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 18 March 1942 to 31 March 1942 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}} There on 20 March at 10:54 she fired four torpedoes at the 1,050 tons British Type II {{sclass2|Hunt|destroyer|1}} {{HMS|Heythrop|L85|6}} about 40 miles north-east of Bardia. One torpedo hit Heythrop, which was taken in tow by {{HMS|Eridge|L68|6}} towards Tobruk, but she foundered five hours later.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1460.html

|title=HMS Heythrop (L 85) (Destroyer) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}}

On 26 March at 02:27 the U-boat fired a spread of four torpedoes at the 1,690 tons British J-class destroyer {{HMS|Jaguar|F34|6}} north-east of Sollum. Two of the torpedoes struck the ship in the bows, and she caught fire and sank in a short time. From her complement of 246, only 53 survived.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1473.html

|title=HMS Jaguar (F 34) (Destroyer) – Ships hit by U-boats – uboat.net

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}}

U-652 arrived at Pola on 31 March 1942.

=Ninth patrol=

The U-boat left Pola on 25 May 1942 on her final patrol, and returned to the North African coast.{{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1962.html

|title=Patrol of U-boat U-652 from 25 May 1942 to 2 June 1942 |last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=U-boat patrols – uboat.net

|access-date=17 February 2010

}} On 2 June 1942 U-652 was severely damaged by depth charges dropped by a British Swordfish torpedo bomber from 815 Naval Air Squadron,*{{cite web

|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0652.html

|title=U 652

|last=Hofmann

|first=Markus

|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de

|language=de

|access-date=29 December 2014

}} and was scuttled in the Gulf of Sollum, in position {{coord|31|55|N|25|11|E|dim:2000000|display=inline,title}}, by torpedoes from {{GS|U-81|1941|2}}. There were no casualties from her crew of 46.

Summary of raiding history

class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
Date

! Ship Name

! Nationality

! TonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

! Fate{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u652.html

|title=Ships hit by U-652

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=6 February 2014

}}

align="right"|6 August 1941

|align="left" |PS-70

|align="left" |{{navy|Soviet Union}}

|align="right"|558

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right"|26 August 1941

|align="left" |{{HMS|Southern Prince|M47|6}}

|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="right"|10,917

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right"|10 September 1941

|align="left" |Tahchee

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right"|6,508

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right"|10 September 1941

|align="left" |Baron Pentland

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right"|3,410

|align="left" |Damaged

align="right"|9 December 1941

|align="left" |Saint Denis

|align="left" |{{flag|Vichy France}}

|align="right"|1,595

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right"|19 December 1941

|align="left" |Varlaam Avanesov

|align="left" |{{flag|Soviet Union}}

|align="right"|6,557

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right"|20 March 1942

|align="left" |{{HMS|Heythrop|L85|6}}

|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="right"|1,050

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right"|26 March 1942

|align="left" |{{HMS|Jaguar|F34|6}}

|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}

|align="right"|1,690

|align="left" |Sunk

align="right"|26 March 1942

|align="left" |Slavol

|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}

|align="right"|2,623

|align="left" |Sunk

References

=Notes=

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

=Citations=

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

{{Refbegin}}

  • {{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
  • {{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}
  • {{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Eric |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith|translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel |title=German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |date=1991 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |volume=2 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Udg-0AEACAAJ|ref=CITEREFGröner1991}}

{{Refend}}

External links

  • {{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u652.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-652

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=29 December 2014

}}

  • {{cite web

|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0652.html

|title=U 652

|last=Hofmann

|first=Markus

|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de

|language=de

|access-date=29 December 2014

}}

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100116081733/http://millercenter.org/scripps/archive/speeches/detail/3323 Roosevelt's Fireside Chat 18: On The Greer Incident (11 September 1941) – Miller Center of Public Affairs (audio and transcript)]

{{German Type VII submarines}}

{{June 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0652}}

Category:World War II submarines of Germany

Category:German Type VIIC submarines

Category:U-boats commissioned in 1941

Category:U-boats sunk in 1942

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea

Category:1941 ships

Category:Ships built in Hamburg

Category:U-boats scuttled in 1942

Category:Maritime incidents in June 1942