German submarine U-61 (1939)

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-61
Ordered	21 July 1937
Builder	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Yard number	260
Laid down	1 October 1938
Launched	15 June 1939
Commissioned	12 August 1939
Fate	Scuttled at Wilhelmshaven, 5 May 1945
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IIC coastal submarine
Displacement	291 t (286 long tons) surfaced; 341 t (336 long tons) submerged;
Length	43.90 m (144 ft 0 in) o/a; 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull;
Beam	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a); 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull);
Height	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels); 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced; 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged;
Range	1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced; 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 22 men
Armament	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes; 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines; 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 12 August – 31 December 1939 ; 1st U-boat Flotilla; 1 January – 14 November 1940; 21st U-boat Flotilla; 15 November 1940 – 27 March 1945;
Identification codes:	M 05 425
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Oesten; 12 August 1939 – 28 July 1940; Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler; 28 July – 5 November 1940; Oblt.z.S. Willy Matke; 5 November 1940 – 4 May 1941; Oblt.z.S. Hans Lange; 5 May 1941 – 15 January 1942; Oblt.z.S. Horst Geider; 16 January – 9 November 1942; Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Ley; 10 November 1942 – 15 September 1943; Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Schultze; 16 September 1943 – 1 December 1944; Lt.z.S. Werner Zapf; 2 December 1944 – 27 March 1945;
Operations:	10 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 24 October – 14 November 1939; 2nd patrol:; 28 November – 3 December 1939; 3rd patrol:; 7 – 18 December 1939; 4th patrol:; 15 – 30 January 1940; 5th patrol:; a. 12 – 27 February 1940; b. 29 February – 1 March 1940; 6th patrol:; 11 April – 7 May 1940; 7th patrol:; 6 June – 1 July 1940; 8th patrol:; 6 – 25 July 1940; 9th patrol:; 29 August – 15 September 1940; 10th patrol:; 24 September – 10 October 1940;
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk ; (19,668 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (4,434 GRT);

German submarine U-61 was a Type IIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the Second World War. It was built by Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel. Ordered on 21 June 1937, it was laid down on 1 October as yard number 260. It was launched on 15 June 1939 and commissioned on 12 August under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Jürgen Oesten.

U-61 was initially assigned to the 5th U-boat Flotilla during its training period, until 1 January 1940, when it was reassigned to the 1st flotilla for a front-line combat role. U-61 carried out eleven war patrols, sinking five ships for a total of 19,668 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one of 4,434 tons. It then joined the 21st flotilla as a 'school' or training boat in November 1940 where it remained for the rest of the war.

It was scuttled at Wilhelmshaven on 5 May 1945.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-61
Ordered	21 July 1937
Builder	Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel
Yard number	260
Laid down	1 October 1938
Launched	15 June 1939
Commissioned	12 August 1939
Fate	Scuttled at Wilhelmshaven, 5 May 1945
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IIC coastal submarine
Displacement	291 t (286 long tons) surfaced 341 t (336 long tons) submerged
Length	43.90 m (144 ft 0 in) o/a 29.60 m (97 ft 1 in) pressure hull
Beam	4.08 m (13 ft 5 in) (o/a) 4.00 m (13 ft 1 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.40 m (27 ft 7 in)
Draught	3.82 m (12 ft 6 in)
Installed power	700 PS (510 kW; 690 bhp) (diesels) 410 PS (300 kW; 400 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range	1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) surfaced 35–42 nmi (65–78 km; 40–48 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Complement	3 officers, 22 men
Armament	3 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes 5 × torpedoes or up to 12 TMA or 18 TMB mines 1 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 12 August – 31 December 1939 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 14 November 1940 21st U-boat Flotilla 15 November 1940 – 27 March 1945
Identification codes:	M 05 425
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Oesten 12 August 1939 – 28 July 1940 Kptlt. Wolf-Harro Stiebler 28 July – 5 November 1940 Oblt.z.S. Willy Matke 5 November 1940 – 4 May 1941 Oblt.z.S. Hans Lange 5 May 1941 – 15 January 1942 Oblt.z.S. Horst Geider 16 January – 9 November 1942 Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Ley 10 November 1942 – 15 September 1943 Lt.z.S. / Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Schultze 16 September 1943 – 1 December 1944 Lt.z.S. Werner Zapf 2 December 1944 – 27 March 1945
Operations:	10 patrols: 1st patrol: 24 October – 14 November 1939 2nd patrol: 28 November – 3 December 1939 3rd patrol: 7 – 18 December 1939 4th patrol: 15 – 30 January 1940 5th patrol: a. 12 – 27 February 1940 b. 29 February – 1 March 1940 6th patrol: 11 April – 7 May 1940 7th patrol: 6 June – 1 July 1940 8th patrol: 6 – 25 July 1940 9th patrol: 29 August – 15 September 1940 10th patrol: 24 September – 10 October 1940
Victories:	5 merchant ships sunk (19,668 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (4,434 GRT)