German submarine U-759

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History
War ensign of Germany (1938-1945).svg Nazi Germany
NameU-759
Ordered9 October 1939
Builder Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
Yard number142
Laid down15 November 1940
Launched30 May 1942
Commissioned15 August 1942
FateSunk on 15 July 1943
General characteristics
Class and type Type VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500  nmi (15,700  km; 9,800  mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record [1] [2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 46 926
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 2 February – 14 March 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 7 June – 15 July 1943
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(12,764  GRT)

German submarine U-759 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 15 November 1940 at the Kriegsmarinewerft yard at Wilhelmshaven, launched on 30 May 1942, and commissioned on 15 August 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Friedrich. [1]

Contents

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-759 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. [3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft). [3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). [3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-759 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty. [3]

Service history

After training with 5th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel, Germany, on 1 February 1943 U-759 was transferred to 9th U-boat Flotilla, based in Brest, France, for front-line service. She sailed on two combat patrols and sank two ships totalling 12,764  gross register tons  (GRT). U-759 was sunk east of Jamaica on 15 July 1943 by depth charges from a US Navy Mariner patrol bomber. All hands were lost. [1]

First patrol

U-759 first sailed from Kiel on 2 February 1943, and out into the Atlantic, south of Greenland. She had no successes, and arrived at Lorient, France on 14 March after 41 days. [4]

Second patrol

U-759 left Lorient on 7 June 1943 and sailed across the Atlantic to the Caribbean Sea. [5] There on 5 July, about 70 nautical miles (130 km) west of Port-Salut, Haiti, she torpedoed the 3,513 GRT American merchant ship Maltran, part of Convoy GTMO-134. The ship sank in 15 minutes, but all 47 aboard escaped in lifeboats, and were picked up by USS SC-1279. [6]

Two days later, on 7 July, the U-boat torpedoed and sank the 9,251 GRT Dutch cargo ship Poelau Roebiah, in convoy TAG-70, east of Jamaica. All but two of the 68 crew, along with 24 armed guards and 31 US passengers abandoned ship in four lifeboats and were later rescued. [7] After sinking the Dutch ship the U-boat was pursued and attacked by the United States destroyer Tattnall (DD-125), but escaped. [1] The next day, 8 July, U-759 was spotted and attacked by a United States Navy scout aircraft. Allied surface ships attacked for seven hours, but the U-boat evaded them and escaped unharmed. [1]

Fate

U-759 was sunk on 15 July 1943 by depth charges from a US Navy Mariner aircraft from Squadron VP-32 in the Caribbean, in approximate position 15°58′N73°44′W / 15.967°N 73.733°W / 15.967; -73.733 . All 47 crew were lost. [1]

Wolfpacks

U-759 took part in one wolfpack, namely:

Summary of raiding history

DateShip NameNationalityTonnage
(GRT)		Fate [8]
5 July 1943 Maltran Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States 3,513Sunk
7 July 1943 Poelau Roebiah Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 9,251Sunk

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-759". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-759". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  4. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-759 from 2 February 1943 to 14 March 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-759 from 7 June 1943 to 15 July 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  6. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Maltran (Steam merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  7. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Poelau Roebiah (Motor merchant)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 February 2010.
  8. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-759". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 12 February 2014.

Bibliography

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