History
Nazi Germany
NameU-220
Ordered6 August 1940
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number626
Laid down16 June 1941
Launched16 January 1943
Commissioned27 March 1943
FateSunk by depth charges 28 October 1943
General characteristics
Class and typeType X submarine minelayer
Displacement
  • 1,763 tonnes (1,735 long tons) surfaced
  • 2,177 tonnes (2,143 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 9.20 m (30 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.75 m (15 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught4.71 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 16.4–17 knots (30.4–31.5 km/h; 18.9–19.6 mph) surfaced
  • 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph) submerged
Range
  • 18,450 nautical miles (34,170 km; 21,230 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 93 nmi (172 km; 107 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depthCalculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Complement5 officers, 47 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Bruno Barber
  • 27 March - 28 October 1943
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 8 September - 28 October 1943
Victories: 2 merchant ships sunk
(7,199 GRT)

German submarine U-220 was a Type XB submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The U-boat was laid down on 16 June 1941 at the Germaniawerft yard at Kiel as yard number 626, launched on 16 January 1943 and commissioned on 27 March 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Bruno Barber.

The boat's service career began with training in the 4th U-boat Flotilla followed by reassignment to the 12th flotilla for operations.

In one patrol, the submarine sank two ships.

The boat was sunk on 28 October 1943 by US aircraft in mid-Atlantic.

Service history

Patrol and loss

Following a short journey from Kiel to Bergen in Norway, the submarine set out on patrol on 8 September 1943 through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, heading for the North American coast. Off St. Johns in Canada, she laid 66 magnetic mines on 9 October, one of which sank Delisle on the 19th. Also lost on the same day was Penolver. The master of Delisle was trapped on the sinking ship by his wooden leg. He was freed, rescued and taken to a hospital, minus his leg. He could not be released due to the wartime shortage of artificial limbs, but his original leg was found, washed up on a beach and recovered.

In between these events, two men were lost overboard on the 16th.

U-220 was sunk by depth charges dropped by Avenger and Wildcat aircraft from the carrier USS Block Island on 28 October 1943. Fifty-six men died; there were no survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[3]
19 October 1943 Delisle  United States 3,478 Sunk (Mine)
19 October 1943 Penolver  United Kingdom 3,721 Sunk (Mine)

References

  1. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-220". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  2. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-220". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 23 July 2012.
  3. ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-220". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type X boat U-220". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 220". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 6 December 2014.

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