U-156 - 5th War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Departed
Date
Lost
Date
Days at Sea
Lorient
16 January 1943
8 March 1943
52

 

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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.

 
 
           
           
           
           
                                   
           
                                   K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h    "U-156"  
                                   Kommandant:  Korv.Kapt. Hartenstein.  
                                       (Reonstructed by 2.Skl./B.d.U..Op)  
           
    16.11.42 Lorient Entered port.  Made fast A 3.  
         to      
    15.01.43   Shipyard period.  
    15.01.43   Trim test, Radio direction finder calibration, deperming  
    16.01.43 Lorient Departed with orders to make for CF 87.  
    22.01.43 CF 6152 "U-156" gave passing report.  
    23.01.43   From B.d.U.:  
      Make for DT 60.
    26.01.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Initially pause in the area of DH 40 and 10.  Expect independent steamers.  
    28.01.43   From B.d.U.:  
      Make for EJ 70.  
    29.01.43   From B.d.U.:  
      On 30 January at 08.00 switch to America II Circuit.  
    02.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
      Make for ED 90 via EG 30.  
    10.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Reminder about traffic of undeclared French merchant ships.  
    12.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Report on the last success in the operations area.  "U-156" to occupy EO 50 and 20 west to the main harbour [Georgetown, British Guyana].  Focal point close to the coast.  During the next new moon period free to maneuver to the west up to the southern third of ED.  
    23.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Messages of submarine of attack are present from ED 40.  If Hartenstein report position.  
    27.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
      Request situation report.  
    28.02.43   From U-156:  
      No traffic.  Shifting my operations area to ED.  
    16.02.43   From B.d.U.:  
           
           
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        Report of the experiences of "U-124".  
    07.03.43 EE 45 From U-156:  
        Off main harbor [Port of Spain] as far as Grenada very strong continuous air activity.  New type of location.  Metox useless.  Precise attacks without search lights.  Convoys to and from Testigos, operations there impossible.  Have downloaded all torpedoes.  112 cbm.  The boat presumes from a/c courses - that there is E/W traffic in EE 45 and intends to operate there.  
    08.03.43  

From B.d.U.:

 
        Next situation report request message about "U-510" convoy.  
    12.03.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Report, whether installation instructions for mounting magic eye were understandable and whether this was done.  
    16.03.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Request short traffic situation.  
    17.03.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Report situation or position.  
    18.03.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Report position.  
    19.03.43   From B.d.U.:
        Immediately report position by short signal.  
    24.03.43   From B.d.U.:  
        Make for DG 50.  
           
                      No answer received from requests to report position and fuel on 27 and 28 March.  
                      No clue as to reason for loss.  
                      On 18 April "U-156" was declared missing one star effective 12 March 1943, on 16 November 1943 declared missing two stars.  Total loss is accepted.  
           
       
For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
  
       
- The Chief of Operations Department -
 
   
 
           
                                        

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