German submarine U-716 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-716
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	HC Stülcken & Sohn, Hamburg
Yard number	782
Laid down	16 April 1942
Launched	15 January 1943
Commissioned	15 April 1943
Fate	Surrendered on 9 May 1945; sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 11 December 1945
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 15 April – 31 December 1943 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 September 1944 13th U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1944 – 31 March 1945 14th U-boat Flotilla 1 April – 8 May 1945
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hans Dunkelberg 15 April 1943 – 24 January 1945 Oblt.z.S. Friedrich-August Greus (acting) 22 January – 12 February 1945 Oblt.z.S. Jürgen Thimme February – 9 May 1945
Operations:	10 patrols: 1st patrol: 15 December 1943 – 16 January 1944 2nd patrol: a. 25 January – 18 February 1944 b. 23 – 24 February 1944 c. 24 February 1944 d. 29 February 1944 3rd patrol: a. 1 – 7 March 1944 b. 10 – 11 March 1944 4th patrol: a. 30 March – 17 April 1944 b. 14 – 17 June 1944 5th patrol: a. 20 June – 22 July 1944 b. 23 – 25 July 1944 c. 26 – 31 July 1944 d. 17 – 22 September 1944 e. 22 – 23 September 1944 f. 6 October 1944 g. 10 October 1944 h. 5 – 6 November 1944 i. 20 – 24 November 1944 j. 3 – 7 December 1944 6th patrol: a. 7 – 12 January 1945 b. 27 January 1945 c. 3 – 4 February 1945 7th patrol: 6 – 12 February 1945 8th patrol: a. 18 – 24 February 1945 b. 25 – 26 February 1945 9th patrol: 12 March – 9 April 1945 10th patrol: a. 21 – 28 April 1945 b. 12 May 1945 c. 15 – 19 May 1945
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (7,200 GRT) 1 warship sunk (54 tons)

The German submarine U-716 was a special kind of submarine called a Type VIIC U-boat. It was built for Nazi Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, and was used during World War II.

Submarine Design and Features

The U-716 was a Type VIIC submarine. These were a common type of U-boat used by Germany during the war. They were an improved version of earlier models.

Size and Weight

When U-716 was on the surface, it weighed about 769 tonnes (757 long tons). When it was underwater, it weighed more, about 871 tonnes (857 long tons). The submarine was 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) long overall. Its strong inner hull, called the pressure hull, was 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) long.

The U-716 was 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) wide and 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) tall. The part of the submarine that sat below the water, called the draught, was 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) deep.

Power and Speed

The submarine used two large diesel engines when it was on the surface. These engines produced a lot of power, between 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp). When underwater, it switched to two electric motors that produced 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) of power. These motors turned two propellers, each about 1.23 m (4 ft) wide.

U-716 could travel at 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) (knots) on the surface. Underwater, it was slower, reaching 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). It could travel about 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) on the surface at a slower speed of 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). When submerged, it could go about 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph).

Depth and Weapons

This submarine could go as deep as 230 metres (750 ft) underwater. It was built to withstand the immense pressure at these depths.

For attacking other ships, U-716 had five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes. Four were at the front (bow) and one was at the back (stern). It carried 14 torpedoes in total. For fighting on the surface, it had a large 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun with 220 rounds. It also had two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) anti-aircraft guns to defend against planes. The crew of the submarine was usually between 44 and 60 people.

Service During World War II

U-716 was active in the war from April 1943 to May 1945. During this time, it went on ten different missions, called patrols.

First Success

The submarine had its first and only successful attack on January 26, 1944. It was part of an attack on convoy JW 56A. A convoy is a group of ships traveling together for protection. U-716 managed to sink an American cargo ship named Andrew G. Curtin. This ship weighed 7,200 GRT tons.

At the same time, the Andrew G. Curtin was carrying a small American patrol boat, the USS PTC-39. When the cargo ship sank, the USS PTC-39 also went down. U-716 was given credit for sinking both vessels.

Later Patrols and Damage

Later in the war, on April 23, 1945, U-716 was in the Arctic Sea. It was attacked by a group of ships and planes that were hunting submarines. The U-716 was hit by "depth charges," which are bombs designed to explode underwater.

The damage was serious enough that the submarine had to go back to port in Narvik, Norway, earlier than planned. However, the damage was not so bad that it caused major problems for the crew or the submarine's ability to operate.

The End of U-716

While U-716 was in port waiting for repairs, VE Day happened. This was the day the war in Europe officially ended.

On May 9, 1945, the commander of U-716, Jürgen Thimme, followed orders and surrendered his submarine to the Allies in Narvik, Norway. The submarine was then taken to Loch Eriboll in Scotland.

As part of a plan called Operation Deadlight, many surrendered German U-boats were sunk to prevent them from being used again. U-716 was destroyed by an aerial attack on December 11, 1945.

Summary of Raiding History

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
26 January 1944	Andrew G. Curtin	United States	7,200	Sunk
26 January 1944	USS PTC-39	United States Navy	54	Sunk