German submarine U-616

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-616
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	592
Laid down	20 May 1941
Launched	8 February 1942
Commissioned	2 April 1942
Fate	Sunk on 17 May 1944
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Draught	4.74 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	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
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);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
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; 2 April – 31 December 1942; 6th U-boat Flotilla; 1 January – 31 May 1943; 29th U-boat Flotilla; 1 June 1943 – 17 May 1944;
Identification codes	M 45 101
Commanders	Oblt.z.S. Johann Spindlegger; 2 April – 7 October 1942; Oblt.z.S. Siegfried Koitschka; 8 October 1942 – 17 May 1944;
Operations	9 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 6 February – 26 March 1943; 2nd patrol:; 19 April – 17 May 1943; 3rd patrol:; 28 July – 18 August 1943; 4th patrol:; 8 – 18 September 1943; 5th patrol:; 3 – 15 October 1943; 6th patrol:; 20 November – 12 December 1943; 7th patrol:; 3 – 15 January 1944; 8th patrol:; 19 February – 15 March 1944; 9th patrol:; 30 April – 17 May 1944;
Victories	2 warships sunk ; (2,181 tons); 2 merchant ships damaged ; (17,754 GRT);

German submarine U-616 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, for service during World War II. She was laid down on 20 May 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 592, launched on 8 February 1942 and commissioned on 2 April 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See (Oblt.z.S.) Johann Spindlegger.

On 8 October 1942, Spindlegger was replaced by Oblt.z.S. Siegfried Koitschka, who commanded her until she was sunk on 17 May 1944.