CINXE.COM

The Type IXC U-boat U-506 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>The Type IXC U-boat U-506 - German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/main2017-10.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/print.css" type="text/css" media="print" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <meta name="description" content="The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. Over 40.000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat." /> <meta name="keywords" content="U-boat, submarine, boats, technology, XXI, VIIC, XIC, II, XIV, XXIII, Uboote, Unterseeboote, aircraft, escorts, Kriegsmarine, German navy, U-boote, destroyers, corvettes, frigates, battleships, aircraft carriers, trawlers." /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.css" integrity="sha512-puBpdR0798OZvTTbP4A8Ix/l+A4dHDD0DGqYW6RQ+9jxkRFclaxxQb/SJAWZfWAkuyeQUytO7+7N4QKrDh+drA==" crossorigin=""/> <script src="https://unpkg.com/leaflet@1.3.4/dist/leaflet.js" integrity="sha512-nMMmRyTVoLYqjP9hrbed9S+FzjZHW5gY1TWCHA5ckwXZBadntCNs8kEqAWdrb9O7rxbCaA4lKTIWjDXZxflOcA==" crossorigin=""></script></head> <body> <!-- Google tag (gtag.js) --> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-1LBQ8B7HLP"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-1LBQ8B7HLP'); </script> <div id="container"> <!-- Wrapper for the outer table --> <div id="banner"> <!-- Header area starts --> <h1 class="ph">uboat.net</h1> &nbsp; <!-- The main menu --> <div id="navcontainer"> <ul id="navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Home</a></li> <li class="inpath"><a href="/boats.htm" title="The U-boats">The U-boats</a></li> <li><a href="/men/" title="The Men">The Men</a></li> <li><a href="/allies/" title="Allied efforts to fight the U-boats">The Allies</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/" title="Maps">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/forums/" title="Join our Forums">Forums</a></li> <li><a href="/articles/" title="Articles">Articles</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/" title="Galleries">Gallery</a></li> <li><a href="/books/" title="Over 2200 books">Books</a></li> <li><a href="/special/movies/" title="Naval Warfare Movies">Movies</a></li> <li><a href="/wwi/" title="World War One">WWI</a></li> </ul> </div> <!-- The main menu ends --> <span id="breadcrumbs"> <a href="/">Front page</a> - <a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a> - <a href="/boats/"><strong>Listing of all U-boats</strong></a> </span> </div> <!-- End of banner/header area --> <div id="sidebar-a"> <div id="submenu"> <h4><a href="/boats.htm">The U-boats</a></h4> <ul id="submenulist"> <li><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/successful_boats.htm">Most successful</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/boats/patrols/">U-boat Patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/types/">U-boat Types</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/">Operations</a> <ul> <li><a href="/ops/convoys/">Convoy battles</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/top_patrols.htm">Successful patrols</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/wolfpacks/">Wolfpacks</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/ops/combat_strength.html">Combat strength</a></li></ul> </li> <li><a href="/fates/">U-boat Fates</a><ul> <li><a href="/fates/losses/">Losses by year</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/scuttled.htm">Scuttled boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/surrendered.htm">Surrenders</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/discovered.html">Discovered boats</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/dive/">Dive sites</a></li> <li><a href="/fates/revised.html">Revised fates</a></li> </ul> </li> <li><a href="/flotillas/">Flotillas</a><ul> <li><a href="/flotillas/bases/">U-boat bases</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/technical/shipyards/">Shipyards</a></li> <li><a href="/technical/">Technologies</a></li> <li><a href="/special/emblems/">U-boat Emblems</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Events on this day</h4> <p><a href="/today.html">What happened on<br>1 May?</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Commander file</h4><p class="caption"><a href="/men/commanders/430.html"><img src="/media/men/commanders/hass_hans-heinrich.jpg" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Hans-Heinrich Ha脽</a><br>(<a href="/boats/u2324.htm">U-2324</a>)</p><p>- <a href="/men/commanders/">More officers</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>U-boat of the day</h4><a href="/boats/u116.htm">U-116</a> - 4 patrols<br>1 ship sunk (4,284 tons) </div> <div class="item_box"> <h4>U-boat Finder</h4> <form action="/boats/finder.php" method="post"> <input size="8" name="find_boat" class="search-field" />&nbsp;&nbsp; <input type="submit" value="Search" class="input" /> </form> </div><p><br>Follow us on Twitter<br><a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet" class="noborder"><img src="/media/layout/images/twitter_newbird_18.gif" alt="Twitter" /></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet">@uboatnet</a></p> <br> </div> <!-- End of sidebar --> <div id="content"> <!-- Beginning of main content DIV --> <div id="ga_contentTop728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <!-- ContentTop, 728x90, created 11/6/10 --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="9674187468"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-506</h1> </div> <div align="center"> <table class="table_subtle width650"><tr> <td class="width100"><h3>Type</h3></td><td class="width95" align="center" class="seperator"><h3><a href="/types/ixc.htm" class="header">IXC</a></h3></td><td>&nbsp;</td></tr> <tr><td>Ordered</td><td class="seperator">25 Sep 1939</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">11 Jul 1940</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/dw-h.htm">Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg</a> (werk 296)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">20 Jun 1941</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">15 Sep 1941</td><td class="seperator">Kptlt. <a href=/men/wuerdemann.htm>Erich W眉rdemann</a> (<a href=/men/decorations/ritter.htm>Knights Cross</a>)</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">15 Sep 1941</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">12 Jul 1943</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/wuerdemann.htm"> Erich W眉rdemann</a> (<a href="/men/decorations/8.html">Knights Cross</a>) </td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u506.html">5 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">15 Sep 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Jan 1942</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="/flotillas/4flo.htm">4. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Feb 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">12 Jul 1943</td><td>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="/flotillas/10flo.htm">10. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">14 ships sunk, total tonnage 69,893 GRT<br/>3 ships damaged, total tonnage 23,358 GRT<br/>1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 6,821 GRT</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>Sunk at 1550hrs on 12 July 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Vigo, Spain, in position 42.30N, 16.30W, by 7 depth charges from a US <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">Liberator</a> aircraft (1st A/S Sqn USAAF/C). 48 dead and 6 survivors.</p> </td></tr> <tr><td>Loss position</td> <td colspan="3"> <style media="screen" type="text/css"> #mapFate {width:510px; height: 270px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;} </style> <div id="mapFate" align="center"></div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var mymap = L.map('mapFate').setView([43.3, -16.30], 4) L.tileLayer('/map-tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: 'map 漏 OpenStreetMap contributors | ship info by uboat.net', maxZoom: 10, }).addTo(mymap); var iconFate = L.icon({ iconUrl: '/media/maps/googlemarkers/orange_Marker.png', iconSize: [20, 34], iconAnchor: [10, 34], }); var marker = L.marker([42.50, -16.50], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-506</strong>. Sunk at 1550hrs on 12 July 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Vigo, Spain, in position 42.30N, 16.30W, by 7 depth charges from a US <a href=\"/allies/aircraft/b24.htm\">Liberator</a> aircraft (1st A/S Sqn USAAF/C).'); </script> </td> </tr> </table> <!-- End of main profile table --> <p class="np"><a href="/boats/successes/u506.html">See the 18 ships hit by U-506</a> - <a href="/boats/patrols/u506.html">View the 5 war patrols</a><br></p> </div> <p>The boat was located by SC137 10cm radar which the Germans could not detect. About 15 men were seen in the water after the boat broke in two. The attacking pilot dropped a liferaft and a smoke flare to assist the survivors. 6 men were picked up from the sea by the British destroyer <i><a href=/allies/warships/ship/4410.html>HMS Hurricane</a></i> (Cdr. E.C. Bayldon, DSC, RN) on 14 July.</p> </p> <h3>Attacks on this boat and other events</h3> <div class="content_box"> <p><strong>11 May 1942</strong><br/>A US Navy <a href="/allies/aircraft/catalina.htm">Catalina</a> flying boat attacked some 200 miles SSW of its base at Pensacola. Minor damage. <cite>(Sources: Ragnar J. Ragnarsson)</cite></p> <p><strong>17 Sep 1942</strong><br/>An American <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">B-24 Liberator</a> piloted by James D. Harden attacked U-506 - carrying 151 survivors from the <a href=/ops/laconia.htm>Laconia</a>, 142 of whom were on deck - but the boat dived and escaped unharmed. Harden had also attacked <a href="/boats/u156.htm">U-156</a> the day before. These attacks resulted in D枚nitz's <strong>Laconia Order</strong>. <cite>(Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 64.)</cite></p> <p>2 recorded attacks on this boat.</p> </div> <h3>General notes on this boat</h3><p><strong>15 Sep 1942</strong>. <a href="/boats/u506.htm">U-506</a> (together with <a href="/boats/u156.htm">U-156</a> and <a href="/boats/u507.htm">U-507</a> and the Italian submarine <strong>Cappellini</strong>) took part in the rescue operations after the sinking of <a href="/ops/laconia.htm">Laconia</a> in September 1942 off Africa. About 1,500 men were saved by these boats and by French ships from Dakar (which arrived on 16 Sept, four days after the sinking). </p> <h3>Men lost from U-boats</h3> <p>Unlike <a href="/men/men_lost.htm">many other U-boats</a>, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-506 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 2 <strong>emblem</strong> entries for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u506.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem660.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/emblem_missing.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Water bearer</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem661.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/emblem_missing.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Torpedo with Legs</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/2351"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/0275993647.jpg" alt="" /> <br>The sinking of the laconia and the u-boat war</a><br>Duffy, James P.</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/2268"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/1862546908.jpg" alt="" /> <br>One Common Enemy</a><br>McLoughlin, Jim</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/525"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/german_u-boat_losses.jpg" alt="" /> <br>German U-Boat Losses During World War II</a><br>Niestle, Axel</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/538"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/267"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/537"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/375"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/torpedoes_in_the_gulf.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Torpedoes in the Gulf</a><br>Wiggins, Melanie</p></td></tr> </table> </div> <br><br> <!--<p> <br> </p>--> <p class='center'><br/>As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.</p> <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div> <!-- This closes the main content DIV (text area of pages) --> <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright"> &nbsp;&copy; 1995 - 2025 Gu&eth;mundur Helgason </div> </div> <!-- End of footer --> </div> <!-- End of container DIV --> </body></html>

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10