German submarine U-669

German submarine U-669 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 3 November 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Hamburg, launched on 5 October 1942, and commissioned on 16 December 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See d.R. Kurt Köhl.
Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-669 completed her training period on 31 May 1943 and was assigned to front-line service.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-669 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-669 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

On the second war patrol U-669 went missing in the Bay of Biscay since 30 August 1943. The U-boat had left St. Nazaire on 29 August and had not been heard of since. Subsequently, U-669 and her crew of 52 was declared missing on 8 September 1943.

Previously recorded fate

U-669 was originally thought to have been sunk on September 7, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay at position by depth charges from a Canadian aircraft. This attack was actually against, inflicting no damage.