German submarine U-802
German submarine U-802 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-802 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. The U-boat 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 MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 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-802 was fitted with six torpedo tubes, 22 torpedoes, one SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a SK C/30 as well as a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.
Service history
Laid down on 1 December 1941, U-802 was launched eleven months later on 31 October 1942. On 12 June 1943 the U-boat was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant Rolf Steinhaus.
In September 1943, Kapitänleutnant Helmut Schmoeckel joined the crew of U-802 as a trainee commander. Schmoeckel finally relieved Steinhaus and took command of U-802 on 12 December 1943. Transferring from 4th U-boat Flotilla to 2nd U-boat Flotilla.
First patrol
U-802 left base in Kiel on 29 January 1944 and after brief stops in Kristiansand and Stavanger she reached her assigned patrol area in the North Atlantic in mid-February. In late March and early April U-801 attacked several convoys, sinking the Canadian 1621 GRT steamer and possibly two more steamers from convoy SH 125 in on 22 March 1944. In an attack on convoy HX 286 she claimed two more steamers of 10,000 GRT sunk or damaged respectively. On 2 May 1944 the U-boat arrived in Lorient.
Second patrol
U-802 set out from Lorient on her second patrol on 22 June 1944, but when her snorkel failed on 1 July, she made for port. After experiencing an air attack earlier that day, U-802 arrived back in Lorient on 9 July 1944.
Third patrol
On 16 July the U-boat left again for operations in the West and North Atlantic. In mid-August U-802 made contact with an aircraft carrier but did not attack, but claimed an escort,, sunk on 14 September 1944. However, this was proved incorrect; HMCS Stettler survived the war. On 12 November 1944, she returned to base via Norway to Flensburg.
Fourth patrol
From Flensburg U-802 left again for the West Atlantic on 11 December 1944 to return to Kiel on 8 April 1945 after 118 days at sea. The last weeks of war in Europe U-802 spent in Norwegian waters.
Fate
Leaving Bergen on 3 May, U-802 arrived in Loch Eriboll on 11 May 1945 in order to surrender to the British. The U-boat was transferred to Loch Alsh the next day, and to Lisahally the day after that, where she remained until the end of the year. On 30 December 1945 U-802 left Moville under tow from. At 12:30h the next day, 31 December 1945, the cable broke and U-802 sank at.