PRELIMINARY REPORT OF INTERROGATION OF PRISONERS FROM U-606
 
     
          U-606, under command of Oberleutnant zur See Döhler, was sunk by the Polish destroyer Burza and the U.S.C.G. Campbell on February 22, 1943, in approximate position 47 N - 34:07 W, at about 2300 Zed.  U-606 had been attacking a convoy which those ships had been escorting.  Twelve men were rescued from the U-boat, five by Campbell and seven by Burza.  These prisoners arrived in the United States for interrogation on March 8.  This report is based on a brief preliminary interrogation of the prisoners.  
     
  DETAILS OF U-606  
     
 
  Tonnage: 500
   
  Type: VII C
   
  Building Yard: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
   
  Flotilla: 9th, Brest, under command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock; previously attached to 11th Flotilla, Bergen, under command of Kapitänleutnant Gehausz.
   
  Armament: Normal
   
  Torpedoes: 14:  12 electric, 2 air.
   
  Diesels: G-W
   
  Motors: B B C
   
  GSR: Fitted
   
  SBT: Apparently not fitted.
   
  Radar: Not fitted.
   
  K D B & G H G Listening Gear: Both fitted.
 
     
  COMPLEMENT:        48  
     
 
Officers: C.O. Olt.z.S. Döhler of the 1937 term,
    former C.O. Olt.z.S. Klatt, of the 1935 term.
     
  Exec. Lt.z.S Werner Boulanger of the 1938 term.
     
  2nd Officer Lt.z.S. Martin Reese.
     
  Engineer Officer Lt.(Ing.) Werner Schünemann of the 1938 term.
 
     
          The comparatively large complement is accounted for by the fact that several men were carried for training purposes.  
     
HISTORY  
     
          Commissioned:  January 22, 1942.  Frozen in at Kiel until April 1942.  Trials, working up and overhaul until August 1942.  
     
 
 
 
 

 

     
   
          First War Cruise:  Left Kiel in August 1942 for Atlantic, under command of Olt. Klatt.  Klatt developed stomach trouble on way out, and U-606 put in to Bergen.  Klatt was detached, and boat waited about six weeks before putting out under her new C.O., Döhler.  Was ordered to the Arctic to attack convoy bound for Russia.  Was prevented from attacking by heavy air cover.  Claims one plane as only success.  Returned to Bergen with all torpedoes, after 14 days, early October.  Flotilla chief announced loss of two U-boats in above convoy attack.  Remained in Bergen about two weeks.  
     
          Second War Cruise:  Sailed from Bergen about mid-October.  Operational area mid-Atlantic.  Claims sinking two ships in convoy, totaling 19,600 tons.  Other attacks unsuccessful; used total of 11 or 12 torpedoes.  Was contact keeper with second convoy, eastbound, but prevented from attacking by bad weather.  Cracked cylinder head, putting port Diesel out of action, and returned to Brest on Diesel-electric.  Arrived Brest early December.  
     
          Third and Last War Cruise:  Left Brest January 4, 1943.  Operational area mid-Atlantic.  Encountered very heavy weather and saw no action until about February 22, when sighted and attacked convoy.  Claim two ships and one set afire, with five torpedoes.  Driven off by destroyers and heavily depth charged.  Forced to surface by damage, hydrophones failing to give warning of presence of Campbell almost immediately overhead.  Campbell attacked with gunfire, ramming and depth charges; crew forced abandon U-boat.  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
- 2 -