German submarine U-615

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-615
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	591
Laid down	20 May 1941
Launched	8 February 1942
Commissioned	26 March 1942
Fate	Sunk in the Caribbean Sea on 7 August 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 t (757 long tons); 871 t (857 long tons) submerged; 1,070 t (1,053 long tons) total;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) total; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) total; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric; 3,200 PS (2,354 kW; 3,156 shp) surfaced; 750 PS (552 kW; 740 shp) submerged;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.66 knots (14.19 km/h; 8.81 mph) submerged;
Range	13,700 nmi (25,400 km; 15,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 125 nmi (232 km; 144 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	220 m (721 ft 9 in)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted44-52 men
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 26 March – 31 August 1942; 3rd U-boat Flotilla; 1 September 1942 – 7 August 1943;
Identification codes:	M 45 089
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ralph Kapitzky ; 26 March 1942 – 7 August 1943;
Operations:	4 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 5 September – 30 October 1942; 2nd patrol:; 25 November 1942 – 9 January 1943 ; 3rd patrol:; 18 February – 20 April 1943 ; 4th patrol:; 12 June – 7 August 1943;
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk ; (27,231 GRT)

German submarine U-615 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) for service during World War II.

Commissioned on 26 March 1942, and commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ralph Kapitzky, she was depth charged and sunk in the Caribbean Sea, north of Porlamar on 7 August 1943, in position 12°38′N 64°15′W / 12.633°N 64.250°W / 12.633; -64.250, by US 6 Mariner and 1 Ventura aircraft. It was the largest aircraft hunt ever mounted for a single U-boat. Of her crew 4 (including her captain) were killed, and 43 survived.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-615
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	591
Laid down	20 May 1941
Launched	8 February 1942
Commissioned	26 March 1942
Fate	Sunk in the Caribbean Sea on 7 August 1943
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 t (757 long tons) 871 t (857 long tons) submerged 1,070 t (1,053 long tons) total
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) total 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) total 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	Diesel-electric 3,200 PS (2,354 kW; 3,156 shp) surfaced 750 PS (552 kW; 740 shp) submerged
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.66 knots (14.19 km/h; 8.81 mph) submerged
Range	13,700 nmi (25,400 km; 15,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 125 nmi (232 km; 144 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	220 m (721 ft 9 in)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted44-52 men
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 26 March – 31 August 1942 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 September 1942 – 7 August 1943
Identification codes:	M 45 089
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ralph Kapitzky 26 March 1942 – 7 August 1943
Operations:	4 patrols: 1st patrol: 5 September – 30 October 1942 2nd patrol: 25 November 1942 – 9 January 1943 3rd patrol: 18 February – 20 April 1943 4th patrol: 12 June – 7 August 1943
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk (27,231 GRT)