U-160 - 5th War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with the help of Andi Forster

Departed	Date	Arrived	Date	Days at Sea
Bordeaux	29 June 1943	Lost	14 July 1943	16

 

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Ships Hit

None

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  160"
			Kommandant:  Oblt.z.S.    P  o  m  m  e  r    -    E  s  c  h  e
			Constructed by 2. SKL./B.d.U.Op.
		1943
		10.05.43 to	Bordeaux	Arrived.
		12.05.43		Cleared the boat.
		13.05.43 to		Begin the shipyard period, dry docked.
		9.06.43		Change of command.
		10.06.43 to		Pier-side trial, resumption of shipyard work.
		11.06.43
		12.06.43		Sea trial, shipyard trim test.
		13.6.43 to		Final adjustments and overhaul.  Delay start date due to delayed delivery of spare parts for change No. 15.  Equipping for war patrol, took over fuel, munitions and provisions.
		25.6.43
		29.6.43	Le Verdon	Put to sea with orders to head for, CG 14 via BF 8550 and BF 7682
		02.07.43
		21.33		From U 160:
				Enemy aircraft hold contact since 21.15 hours.
		21.05	BF 7791	From U 160:
				Vowe aircraft bomb on stern.  Ballast tank 9 damaged 3, 7, 8 expressed.  Return transit under the Spanish coast.
		22.33		From F.d.U. West:
				Pommer-Esche begin return transit with Vowe, as soon as possible report position course and speed for 3 July 09.00 hours.  Further orders follow.
		03.07.43
		10.50		From F.d.U. West:
				Pommer-Esche, Vowe as soon as possible report position course and speed for 3 July 20.00 hours.  Further orders follow.
		14.18	BF 7894	From U 160:
				Position report.
		14.37		From U 160:
				Course 45°, speed 11 knots.
		17.23		From F.d.U. West:
				Pommer-Esche as soon as possible report position course and speed for 4 July 20.00 hours.  Intend for 5 July 07.00 hours:  Be taken under escort by destroyer or T-boat, close escort by Ju 88.  Intake point about BF 8496.
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		03.07.43
		23.50		From U 160:
				Intention, to be in BF 8478 tomorrow evening.
		23.58		From U 160:
				Course 65°, speed 4 knots.
		04.07.43
		12.25		From F.d.U. West:
				1)  Intake 5 July 07.00 hours BF 8496 by 2 T-boats.
				2)  From BF 8496 head for intake point on course 90°.
				3)  Close escort by Ju 88.  Arriving about 07.15 hours.
				4)  T-boats steer from Point "Hand" to BF 8576 from there on course 270°to intake point.
				5)  After Vowe is taken in convoy, U-160 continue outbound transit.
				6)  . . . . . . . .
		22.01		From F.d.U. West:
				Expect flight of own 3 FW 200 about 08.00 hours.
		07.07.43
		21.54		From B.d.U.:
				New objective for U-267 and U-160 and . . . .  is DF 90.
		10.07.43
		21.04	CF 65	From U 160:
				Am missing from 30 June:  88,17, 21, 25, 67, 70, 75.  From 5 July:  7, 9, 90 to 94.
		13.07.43
		18.20		From B.d.U.:
				1)  . . . . . . . .
				2)  U-160 must deliver all fuel oil and provisions to Metz for Monsoon boats and keep only enough for return transit. After return installation of quad 20 mm and bridge reconstruction is intended.  If, however, the next tanker is at sea in time, full replenishment of provisions and fuel inventory is intended.
				3)  Orders follow.
		19.25		From B.d.U.:
				. . . . . . . . ,  U 160 on 14 July at 08.00 hours switch to "America II" Circuit.
		15.07.43
		16.03		From B.d.U.:
				1)  . . . . . . . .
				2)  U-160 fuel transfer to Metz as set forth in Serial No. 306 paragraph 2 of 13 July is ordered.
		18.07.43
		12.58		From B.d.U.:
				1)  . . . . . . . .
				2)  . . . . . . . .
				3)  U-160 from the evening of 19 July in LS 1975 give 35 cbm each to U-509, 532, 533, 516.  Last boat meet about 24 July.  Provisions transfer as for Piening.  If required for U-160 later supply for return transit.

		continued
		18.7.43
		12.58		4)  Piening, U-160 report after execution in accordance with Standing Kriegsmarine Order 180 and return transit.
			The prompt to report position on 20 July 1943 remained unanswered.
			Possibly lost to carrier aircraft.
			U-160 was declared lost with one star effective 20 July 1943 on 10 August, on 22 April 1944 declared lost with two stars.
			Total loss is accepted.
			For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
			- The Chief of the Operations Department-

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