View source for German submarine U-516

{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= German submarine U-516 surrenders to HMS Cavendish (R15), 10 May 1945 (A 28552).jpg
|Ship image size= 300px
|Ship caption=''U-516'' surrenders to HMS ''Cavendish'' (R15) on 10 May 1945
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Nazi Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|Ship name=''U-516''
|Ship ordered=14 February 1940
|Ship builder=Deutsche Werft, [[Hamburg]]
|Ship yard number=312
|Ship laid down=12 May 1941
|Ship launched=16 December 1941
|Ship commissioned=21 February 1942
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship fate=Surrendered on 14 May 1945 at [[Loch Eriboll]] in Scotland; transferred to [[Lisahally]] in Northern Ireland. Sunk on 2 January 1946
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption={{sfn|Gröner|1985|pp=105–107}}
|Ship class=[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|Type IXC]] [[submarine]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{convert|1120|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1232|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length=
*{{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[o/a]]
*{{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[pressure hull]]
|Ship beam=
*{{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
*{{convert|4.40|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
*{{convert|4400|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|1000|PS|kW shp|-1|abbr=on}} (electric)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 shafts
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[Motor-generator|electric motors]]
|Ship speed=
*{{convert|18.3|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|7.3|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=
*{{convert|13450|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|64|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged
|Ship test depth=
*{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=4 officers, 44 enlisted
|Ship armament=
*6 × [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 stern)
*22 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo]]es
*1 × [[10.5&nbsp;cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/32]] [[deck gun]] (180 rounds)
*1 × [[3.7&nbsp;cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] AA gun
*1 × twin [[2 cm FlaK 30]] AA guns
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=
|partof=
*[[4th U-boat Flotilla]]
*10 March 1942 – 31 August 1942
*[[10th U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 – 30 September 1944
*[[33rd U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 October 1944 – 8 May 1945
|codes=M 41 960
|commanders=
*''[[K.Kapt.]]'' Gehard Wiebe
*10 March 1942 – 23 June 1943
*''K.Kapt.'' Hans Pauckstadt
*11 – 27 May 1942
*''[[Kptlt.]]'' [[Herbert Kuppisch]]
*24 – 30 June 1943
*''Kptlt.'' Hans-Rutger Tillessen
*1 July – December 1944
*''[[Oblt.z.S.]]'' Friedrich Petran
*December 1944 – 14 May 1945
|operations=*6 patrols:
*1st patrol:
*a. 12 – 13 August 1942
*b. 15 August – 14 November 1942
*2nd patrol:
*23 December 1942 – 4 May 1943
*3rd patrol:
*a. 8 July – 23 August 1943
*b. 30 September – 1 October 1943
*4th patrol:
*4 October 1943 – 26 February 1944
*5th patrol:
*a. 7 May – 4 October 1944
*b. 24 – 27 March 1945
*c. 1 – 3 April 1945
*6th patrol:
*5 April – 14 May 1945
|victories=
*16 merchant ships sunk <br/>({{GRT|89,385}})
*1 merchant ship damaged <br/>({{GRT|9,687}})
}}
|}

'''German submarine ''U-516''''' was a [[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|Type IXC]] [[U-boat]] of [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' during [[World War II]].

She was [[Keel laying|laid down]] at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in [[Hamburg]] as yard number 312 on 12 May 1941, [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 16 December 1941 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 21 February 1942 with ''[[Korvettenkapitän]]'' Gerhard Wiebe in command.

''U-516'' began her service career with training as part of the [[4th U-boat Flotilla]] from 10 March 1942. She was reassigned to the [[10th U-boat Flotilla|10th flotilla]] for operations on 1 September 1942, then the [[33rd U-boat Flotilla|33rd flotilla]] on 1 October 1944.

She carried out six patrols, sank 16 ships and damaged one more. She surrendered on 14 May 1945 at [[Loch Eriboll]] in Scotland and was transferred to [[Lisahally]] in Northern Ireland for Operation [[Operation Deadlight|''Deadlight'']]. She was sunk on 2 January 1946.

==Design==
[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|German Type IXC submarines]] were slightly larger than the original [[German Type IXB submarine|Type IXB]]s. ''U-516'' had a displacement of {{convert|1120|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|1232|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} The U-boat had a total length of {{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[pressure hull]] length of {{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a [[draught (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two [[MAN SE|MAN]] M 9 V 40/46 [[supercharged]] four-stroke, nine-cylinder [[diesel engine]]s producing a total of {{convert|4400|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two [[Siemens-Schuckert]] 2 GU 345/34 [[Motor–generator|double-acting electric motors]] producing a total of {{convert|1000|shp|PS kW|-1}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.92|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[propeller]]s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|18.3|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.3|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|63|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|13450|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. ''U-516'' was fitted with six {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 [[torpedo]]es, one [[10.5&nbsp;cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} SK C/32 naval gun]], 180 rounds, and a [[3.7&nbsp;cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] as well as a [[2 cm FlaK 30|{{convert|2|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a [[Ship's company|complement]] of forty-eight.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

==Service history==

===First patrol===
''U-516''{{'}}es first patrol was preceded by a short trip from Kiel in Germany to [[Kristiansand]] in Norway. The patrol itself began with the boat's departure from Kristiansand on 15 August 1942. She passed through the 'gap' separating [[Iceland]] and the [[Faroe Islands]] before heading out into the Atlantic Ocean.

She damaged the ''Port Jackson'' with 14 rounds from her [[deck gun]] {{convert|480|nmi}} west of [[Cape Clear Island|Cape Clear]], (at the southern tip of Ireland), on the 27th, after a spread of four [[torpedoe]]s had missed. A small fire was started on the ship, but her accurate return fire discouraged the U-boat which broke off the attack. ''Port Jackson'' escaped at top speed into haze.

The boat moved to the waters off northern South America where her success rate shot-up, although one target required seven torpedoes to sink her.

She entered [[Lorient]], on the French Atlantic coast, on 14 November.

===Second and third patrols===
For her second foray, ''U-516'' headed toward [[South Africa]]. She sank three ships in the vicinity of [[East London, Eastern Cape|East London]] and a fourth off the coast of southern [[Namibia]].

Her third sortie was also in a southerly direction; its furthest point was reached between South America and the [[Cape Verde Islands]].<ref>''The Times Atlas of the World'' – Third edition, revised 1995, {{ISBN|0 7230 0809 4}}, p. 52</ref>

===Fourth patrol===
Patrol number four took the boat to the [[Caribbean Sea]]. One of her victims was the Colombian sailing ship ''Ruby'', which was sunk with the deck gun on 18 November 1943.

Another was the ''Elizabeth Kellog''. This ship, which had been torpedoed and abandoned on the 23rd, ran around the survivors (she was still underway because the engines could not be secured). Her after magazine exploded and she burned for 12 hours before sinking.

The U-boat was damaged by an unidentified aircraft on 19 December 1943.

===Fifth patrol===
The boat's fifth patrol saw her sink the ''Esso Harrisburg'' {{convert|200|nmi}} northwest of [[Aruba]] in the Caribbean.<ref>''The Times Atlas of the World'', p 69</ref> She then made her way to [[Flensburg]] via the [[Denmark Strait]] that separates [[Greenland]] and Iceland. She docked at the German harbour on 4 October 1944.

===Sixth patrol and fate===
Having moved from Kiel to [[Karljohansvern|Horten Naval Base]], (south of Oslo) and then Kristiansand, she left the Norwegian port on 5 April 1945. She surrendered at [[Loch Eriboll]] on 14 May and was then transferred to [[Lisahally]] in Northern Ireland for Operation [[Operation Deadlight|''Deadlight'']]. She was sunk on 2 January 1946 at {{coord|56|06|N|09|00|W}}.

==Summary of raiding history==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
|-
! width="100px" | Date
! width="110px" | Ship Name
! width="110px" | Nationality
! width="25px" | Tonnage<br />([[Gross register tonnage|GRT]])
! width="50px" | Fate<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u516.html
 |title=Ships hit by U-516
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net
 |access-date=3 October 2014
}}</ref>
|-
|align="right"|27 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#27 August|''Port Jackson'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|9,687
|align="left" |Damaged
|-
|align="right"|31 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#31 August|''Jack Carnes'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|10,907
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|19 September 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1942#19 September|''Wichita'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|6,174
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|28 September 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1942#28 September|''Antonico'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|1,223
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|30 September 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1942#30 September|''Alipore'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|5,273
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|24 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#24 October|''Holmpark'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|5,780
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|11 February 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in February 1943#11 February|''Helmspey'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|4,764
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|17 February 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in February 1943#17 February|''Deer Lodge'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|6,187
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|27 February 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in February 1943#27 February|''Colombia'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Netherlands}}
|align="right"|10,782
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|20 March 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#20 March|''Nortun'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Panama}}
|align="right"|3,663
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|13 November 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1943#13 November|''Pompoon'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Panama}}
|align="right"|1,082
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|18 November 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1943#18 November|''Ruby'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Colombia}}
|align="right"|39
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|23 November 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1943#23 November|''Elizabeth Kellog'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|5,189
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|24 November 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1943#24 November|''Melville E. Stone'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|7,176
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|8 December 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in December 1943#8 December|''Colombia'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Panama}}
|align="right"|1,064
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|16 December 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in December 1943#16 December|''McDowell'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|10,195
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|7 July 1944
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in July 1944#7 July|''Esso Harrisburg'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|9,887
|align="left" |Sunk
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
*{{cite book
|last1=Busch
|first1=Rainer
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|series=Der U-Boot-Krieg
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=de
}}
*{{Cite book |last=Gröner |first=Erich |title=Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 / 3, U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher. |date=1985 |publisher=Bernard & Graefe |isbn=3-7637-4802-4 |location=Koblenz |language=de |oclc=310610321}}
*{{cite book
|last1=Gröner
|first1=Erich
|last2=Jung
|first2=Dieter
|last3=Maass
|first3=Martin
|translator-last1=Thomas
|translator-first1=Keith
|translator-last2=Magowan
|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|series=German Warships 1815–1945
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGröner1991
}}

{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|U-516 (submarine, 1941)}}
*{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u516.htm
 |title=The Type IXC boat U-516
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net
 |access-date=7 December 2014
}}

{{German Type IXC submarines}}
{{1946 shipwrecks}}

{{coord|56|06|N|9|00|W|source:kolossus-ruwiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0516}}
[[Category:German Type IX submarines]]
[[Category:U-boats commissioned in 1942]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk in 1946]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Germany]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:Ships built in Hamburg]]
[[Category:Operation Deadlight]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1946]]