U-606 - 3rd War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason

Departed	Date	Lost	Date	Days at Sea
Brest	4 January 1943		22 February 1943	50

 

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Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
22 Feb 43	22.20	46°53'N, 34°32'W	EXPOSITOR (damaged)	4,959	American	ON-166
22 Feb 43	22.20	46°53'N, 34°32'W	CHATTANOOGA CITY	5,687	American	ON-166
22 Feb 43	22.20	46°53'N, 34°32'W	EMPIRE REDSHANK	6,615	British	ON-166
			Total = 17,261
Note:  The positions in the table above and in the Google Earth patrol summary are derived from the KTB and in many cases do not match those set forth in authoritative references such as Jürgen Rohwer, Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two or the Uboat.net website.  The goal here is to present the picture relative to the U-boat and not the absolute position that the ship was attacked or sank.

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			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h  "U 606"
			=============================
			Kommandant:  Oblt.z.S.   D  ö  h  l  e  r
			(Reconstructed by 2.Skl./B.d.U. Op.)
		05.12.42
		to
		03.01.43	Brest	Shipyard period.
		04.01.43		Put to sea with orders, to head for BE 56.
		07.01.43
		03.38	BE 65	Weather report.
		18.49		From B.d.U.:
				Head for AL 47.
		08.01.43
		04.47	BE 64	Passing report.
		15.08		From B.d.U.:
				Head for AL 7599.
		09.01.43
		17.25		Assignment to Group "Falke".
		18.19		From B.d.U.:
				From 10 January switch to "Diana" Circuit.
		14.01.43		From B.d.U.:
				Instructions to Group "Falke".  Westbound convoy expected from 16 January.
		04.02.43		From B.d.U.:
				Occupy BC 1598.
		10.02.43
		11.19	BC 1912	U-606 reports 1 destroyer course 240°.
		12.30		From U-606:
				Reported destroyer course 40°.  Fog.  40 cbm.
		13.06		From B.d.U.
				Döhler pursue.
		22.30	BC 2182	From U-606:
				Nothing seen.  Vis. up to 5 nm.  35 cbm.
		22.31		From B.d.U.:
				U-606 with economical transit speed go to position in Group "Haudegen".
		11.02.43	BC 21	Weather report.
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Click the flag to view the above page from the original German KTB

	- 1 -
		13.02.43
		16.51		From B.d.U.:
				Döhler occupy BC 2433 within Group "Haudegen".
		14.02.43
		05.32	BC 2433	U-606 reports 1 destroyer, course 225°.
		06.05		From B.d.U. to U-606:
				Determine if it is only a destroyer proceeding independently.
		08.30		From U-606:
				Independent destroyer.  Ran at high speed zigzag course to the southwest.  No sound bearings.
		15.02.43		From B.d.U.:
				Döhler begin return transit.
		18.02.43	BC 3899	Independent course 215°.  15 knots.  Lost in fog.  Going to supply.
		19.02.43	BD 42	Weather report.
		21.02.43
		22.00	BF 4355	From U-606:
				Have supplied.  Question:  operate on southwest convoy.  28 cbm.
		23.12		From B.d.U.:
				Operate at economical transit speed.  Switch to "Diana" Circuit.
		22.02.43
		10.24	BD 5551	Enemy report from U-606:
		11.30		From U-606:
				From convoy BD 5517 up to now seen:  4 steamers, 2 escort vessels, course 225°.  Speed 7 knots.
		13.15		From B.d.U.
				Convoy information from Döhler and Bertelsmann have too large a difference.  Both boats report, if good navigation fix.
		14.04	BD 5461	From U-606:
				Enemy report.  Course 240°.  9 knots.
		19.44	BD 5441	Contact keeper report.
		20.07	BD 5441	Contact keeper report.
			No further reports follow.  There was no answer to requests to report position on 23 and 24 February.
			On 12 March 1943 "U-606" was declared missing one star with effect from 23 February 1943.  37 soldiers, among them the Kommandant, remain.  11 men were taken into captivity.  Loss suspected at convoy.
			From report from U-303 U-606 had sunk a tanker of 4000 GRT and torpedoes another ship, which was finally sunk by U-303.
			For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
			- The Chief of the Operations Department -

 

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