German submarine U-802

Coordinates: 55°30′N 8°25′W / 55.500°N 8.417°W / 55.500; -8.417
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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-802
Ordered7 December 1940
BuilderDeSchiMAG Seebeckwerft, Bremerhaven
Yard number360
Laid down1 December 1941
Launched31 October 1942
Commissioned12 June 1943
FateSurrendered on 11 May 1945; sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 31 December 1945
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXC/40 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 52 697
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Rolf Steinhaus[1]
  • 12 June – 12 December 1943
  • Kptlt. Helmut Schmoeckel[2]
  • 13 December 1943 – 11 May 1945
Operations:
  • 4 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 29 January – 2 May 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 22 June – 9 July 1944
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 16 July – 12 November 1944
  • b. 13 – 20 November 1944
  • c. 21 – 23 November 1944
  • d. 8 – 12 April 1945
  • e. 22 – 23 April 1945
  • 4th patrol:
  • 28 April – 11 May 1945
Victories: 1 merchant ship sunk
(1,621 GRT)

German submarine U-802 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design[edit]

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-802 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[3] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[3] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-802 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]

Service history[edit]

Laid down on 1 December 1941, U-802 was launched eleven months later on 31 October 1942. On 12 June 1943 the U-boat was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Steinhaus (Crew 36).

In September 1943, Kapitänleutnant Helmut Schmoeckel (Crew 36) joined the crew of U-802 as a trainee commander. Schmoeckel finally relieved Steinhaus and took command of U-802 on 12 December 1943. Transferring from 4th U-boat Flotilla to 2nd U-boat Flotilla.

First patrol[edit]

U-802 left base in Kiel on 29 January 1944 and after brief stops in Kristiansand and Stavanger she reached her assigned patrol area in the North Atlantic in mid-February. In late March and early April U-801 attacked several convoys, sinking the Canadian 1621 GRT steamer Watuka and possibly two more steamers from convoy SH 125 in 44°30′N 62°51′W / 44.500°N 62.850°W / 44.500; -62.850 on 22 March 1944. In an attack on convoy HX 286 she claimed two more steamers of 10,000 GRT sunk or damaged respectively. On 2 May 1944 the U-boat arrived in Lorient.

Second patrol[edit]

U-802 set out from Lorient on her second patrol on 22 June 1944, but when her snorkel failed on 1 July, she made for port. After experiencing an air attack earlier that day, U-802 arrived back in Lorient on 9 July 1944.

Third patrol[edit]

On 16 July the U-boat left again for operations in the West and North Atlantic. In mid-August U-802 made contact with an aircraft carrier but did not attack, but claimed an escort, HMCS Stettler, sunk on 14 September 1944. However, this was proved incorrect; HMCS Stettler survived the war. On 12 November 1944, she returned to base via Norway to Flensburg.

Fourth patrol[edit]

From Flensburg U-802 left again for the West Atlantic on 11 December 1944 to return to Kiel on 8 April 1945 after 118 days at sea. The last weeks of war in Europe U-802 spent in Norwegian waters.

Fate[edit]

Leaving Bergen on 3 May, U-802 arrived in Loch Eriboll on 11 May 1945 in order to surrender to the British. The U-boat was transferred to Loch Alsh the next day, and to Lisahally the day after that, where she remained until the end of the year. On 30 December 1945 U-802 left Moville under tow from HMS Pytchley. At 12:30h the next day, 31 December 1945, the cable broke and U-802 sank at 55°30′N 8°25′W / 55.500°N 8.417°W / 55.500; -8.417.[4]

Summary of raiding history[edit]

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT) 		Fate[5]
22 March 1944 Watuka  Canada 1,621 Sunk

References[edit]

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rolf Steinhaus". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Helmut Schmoeckel". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  4. ^ Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 390.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-802". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 April 2015.

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

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