German submarine U-615

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-615
Ordered:	15 August 1940
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	591
Laid down:	20 May 1941
Launched:	8 February 1942
Commissioned:	26 March 1942
Fate:	Sunk in the Caribbean Sea, 7 August 1943
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 t (757 long tons) 871 t (857 long tons) submerged 1,070 t (1,053 long tons) total
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) total 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) total 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught:	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric 3,200 PS (2,354 kW; 3,156 shp) surfaced 750 PS (552 kW; 740 shp) submerged
Speed:	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.66 knots (14.19 km/h; 8.81 mph) submerged
Range:	13,700 nmi (25,400 km; 15,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 125 nmi (232 km; 144 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	220 m (721 ft 9 in)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted44-52 men
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ralph Kapitzky

German submarine U-615 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

Commissioned in 1942, and commanded by Kptlt. Ralph Kapitzky, she was depth charged and sunk in the Caribbean Sea, north of Porlamar, on 7 August 1943, in position 12°38′N 64°15′W / 12.633°N 64.250°W / 12.633; -64.250Coordinates: 12°38′N 64°15′W / 12.633°N 64.250°W / 12.633; -64.250, by US 6 Mariner and 1 Ventura aircraft. It was the largest aircraft hunt ever mounted for a single U-boat. Of her crew 4 (including her captain) were killed, and 43 survived.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-615 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

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