Any information on this as well as my on Great Uncle would be greatly appreciated.
German submarine U-502
German submarine U-502 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German
Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid
down on 2 April 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at
Hamburg, launched on 18 February 1941, and commissioned on
31 May 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Jürgen
von Rosenstiel. Operating out of the U-boat base at
Lorient, France, U-502 sank fourteen Allied vessels
between September 1941 and July 1942 before she was sunk
by a British aircraft in the Bay of Biscay.
Contents
a.. 1 Service history
a.. 1.1 1st patrol
b.. 1.2 2nd patrol
c.. 1.3 3rd patrol
d.. 1.4 4th patrol
a.. 1.4.1 Sinking
b.. 2 References
c.. 3 See also
Service history
1st patrol
U-502 departed from Kiel on 29 September 1941, and
ventured out into the mid-Atlantic.[3] On 7 October, south
of Iceland she torpedoed the 14,795 ton British ship Svend
Foyn, a straggler from Convoy HX-152 en route from New
York to Liverpool, carrying fuel oil, and aircraft and
tanks as deck cargo. The former whale factory ship was
damaged, but managed to escape and, assisted by the Flower
class corvette HMS Sunflower, reached Reykjavík on 11
October.[4] U-502 arrived at Lorient on 9 November.[2]
2nd patrol
U-502 sailed from Lorient on 18 December 1941, but aborted
her patrol and returned there on the 22nd.[5]
3rd patrol
U-502's next patrol began on 19 January 1942. She sailed
for the Caribbean waters north of Venezuela to attack the
vital oil trade.[6]
On the morning of 16 February off the Gulf of Venezuela
she torpedoed and sank three tankers in as many hours; the
British 2,395-ton Tia Juana,[7] the Venezuelan 2,650-ton
Monagas,[8] and then the British 2,391-ton San Nicolas.[9]
U-502 struck again on 22 February near Aruba, sinking the
American 9,033-ton tanker J.N. Pew with torpedoes during
the night, [10] then the Panamanian 8,329-ton Thalia with
torpedoes and shell fire that morning.[11] Finally that
afternoon she badly damaged the American 9,002-ton Sun
with a single torpedo. The crew initially abandoned ship,
but later re-boarded and managed to take her into Aruba to
make repairs.[12] U-502 returned to Lorient on 16 March
after 57 days at sea.[2]
4th patrol
The fourth and final patrol of U-502 was her most
successful. Sailing from Lorient on 22 April 1942 she
returned her predations in the Caribbean Sea.[13]
Her first success came on on 11 May, northeast of the
Virgin Islands, where she sank the unescorted British
4,963-ton cargo ship Cape of Good Hope with torpedoes and
shell fire.[14]
She mistakenly sank the unescorted and neutral 4,996 ton
Brazilian merchant ship Gonçalves Dias with two torpedoes
about 100 miles south of Ciudad Trujillo on 24 May. The
ship was identified as Brazilian only after the attack
when the survivors were questioned.[15] On 28 May, about
150 miles south of the Mona Passage, she sank the
unescorted American 6,759-ton Type C1 ship Alcoa Pilgrim,
carrying a cargo of bauxite ore,[16] and on 3 June, about
150 miles north-west of Trinidad, she torpedoed the
unescorted American 6,940-ton tanker M.F. Elliott. Hit
below the waterline the ship sank within six minutes.[17]
U-502 attacked Convoy TO-5, en route from Trinidad to
Curacao, on 9 June, about 35 miles north-east of Cape
Blanco, Venezuela, sinking the Belgian 5,085-ton merchant
ship Bruxelles,[18] and damaging the American 6,589-ton
tanker Franklin K. Lane to such an extent that it was
abandoned and later sunk by gunfire by HMS Churchill.[19]
On 15 June, U-502 struck once again and sank three ships
in a single day. The first, at 01:00, was the unescorted
American 8,001-ton merchant ship Scottsburg, hit by two
torpedoes about 90 miles west of Grenada.[20] At 04:10,
about 100 miles north-west of Trinidad, she sank the
unescorted Panamanian 5,010-ton Hog Islander Cold Harbor,
carrying a cargo of tanks, aircraft, and ammunition, with
two torpedoes. The first torpedo struck the starboard side
causing the ammunition in No.2 hold to explode. About 30
minutes later, a second torpedo struck the port side and
the ship sank after 15 minutes.[21] Finally, at 20:15
about 30 miles west of Grenada, she sank the unescorted
American 5,702 ton ship West Hardaway with a spread of
three torpedoes. Two missed, passing ahead and astern, but
the third struck the starboard bow. The ships Navy Armed
Guard returned fire (the ship was armed with a 4-inch (100
mm) gun, four 20 mm guns, and two .30 calibre machine
guns), but the ship was hit by another torpedo and sank an
hour later. All hands abandoned ship and survived.[22]
Sinking
U-502 then returned to base, but at 04:45 on 6 July in the
Bay of Biscay, west of La Rochelle, at position 46°10'N
06°40'W? / ?46.167°N 6.667°W? / 46.167; -6.667Coordinates:
46°10'N 06°40'W? / ?46.167°N 6.667°W? / 46.167; -6.667,
she was sunk by depth charges dropped by a Leigh
light-equipped Wellington bomber of No. 172 Squadron RAF.
All 52 hands were lost. This was the first confirmed kill
using a Leigh light.[1] The pilot of the aircraft P/O
Wiley B. Howell, an American volunteer serving in the RAF,
was subsequently awarded the DFC.[23] Howell later
returned to serve in the United States Navy, commanding
the carrier Bennington in 1965-66.[24]
References
Notes
1.. ^ a b "The Type IXC boat U-502 - German U-boats of
WWII - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/u502.htm. Retrieved
2010-01-23.
2.. ^ a b c "War Patrols by German U-boat U-502 - Boats
- uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/u502.html. Retrieved
2010-01-23.
3.. ^ "Patrol of U-boat U-502 from 29 Sep 1941 to 9 Nov
1941 - U-boat patrols - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1064.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
4.. ^ "Svend Foyn (Whale factory ship) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1147.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
5.. ^ "Patrol of U-boat U-502 from 18 Dec 1941 to 22 Dec
1941 - U-boat patrols - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1065.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-24.
6.. ^ "Patrol of U-boat U-502 from 19 Jan 1942 to 16 Mar
1942 - U-boat patrols - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1066.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-24.
7.. ^ "Tia Juana (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats -
uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1335.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
8.. ^ "Monagas (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats -
uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1337.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
9.. ^ "San Nicolas (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats
- uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1334.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
10.. ^ "J.N. Pew (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats -
uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1366.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
11.. ^ "Thalia (Motor tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats -
uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1369.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
12.. ^ "Sun (Motor tanker) - Ships hit by U-boats -
uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1660.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
13.. ^ "Patrol of U-boat U-502 from 22 Apr 1942 to 6 Jul
1942 - U-boat patrols - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1067.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
14.. ^ "Cape of Good Hope (Motor merchant) - Ships hit
by U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1625.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
15.. ^ "Gonçalves Dias (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1701.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
16.. ^ "Alcoa Pilgrim (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1717.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
17.. ^ "M.F. Elliott (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1741.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
18.. ^ "Bruxelles (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1765.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
19.. ^ "Franklin K. Lane (Steam tanker) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1766.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
20.. ^ "Scottsburg (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1812.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
21.. ^ "Cold Harbor (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1809.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
22.. ^ "West Hardaway (Steam merchant) - Ships hit by
U-boats - uboat.net". www.uboat.net.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1810.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-23.
23.. ^ "Deutsche U-Boote U-502". www.u-boot-archiv.de.
http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0502.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-24.
24.. ^ "Commanding Officers - Captain Wiley B. Howell -
USS Bennington". www.uss-bennington.org.
http://www.uss-bennington.org/co-1965Oct12-Capt-Wiley-B-Howell.html.
Retrieved 2010-01-24.
Bibliography
a.. U-502 at uboat.net
b.. U-502 at ubootwaffe.net
c.. U-502 at u-boot-archiv.de (German)
Jürgen von Rosenstiel
Kapitänleutnant (Crew 33)
Successes
14 ships sunk for a total of 78,843 GRT
2 ships damaged for a total of 23,797 GRT
Born 23 Nov 1912 Kiel
Died 5 Jul 1942 (29) Bay of Biscay
Kptlt. Jürgen von Rosenstiel
Ranks
1 Apr 1933 Offiziersanwärter
1 Jul 1934 Fähnrich zur See
1 Apr 1936 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1936 Leutnant zur See
1 Jun 1938 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr 1941 Kapitänleutnant
Decorations
Iron Cross 2nd Class
U-boat War Badge 1939
U-boat Commands
U-boat From To
U-143 20 Mar 1941 30 Mar 1941 No war patrols
U-502 31 May 1941 6 Jul 1942 4 patrols (180
days, * died during this patrol)
After serving on the school ship Schlesien, Jürgen von
Rosenstiel transferred to the U-boat force in 1940. He
achieved his greatest successes with U-502 in the
Caribbean. On the return leg of her third patrol, U-502
was sunk with all hands by an aircraft in the Bay of
Biscay (Niestlé, 1998).
Sources
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1999). German U-boat commanders
of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945
(Band 2).
Niestlé, A. (1998). German U-boat losses during World War II.
Patrol info for Jürgen von Rosenstiel
U-boat Departure Arrival
1. U-502 29 Sep 1941 Kiel 9 Nov 1941 Lorient
Patrol 1, 42 days
2. U-502 18 Dec 1941 Lorient 22 Dec 1941
Lorient Patrol 2, 5 days
3. U-502 19 Jan 1942 Lorient 16 Mar 1942
Lorient Patrol 3, 57 days
4. U-502 22 Apr 1942 Lorient 6 Jul 1942 Sunk
Patrol 4, 75 days *
4 patrols, 179 days at sea
* Jürgen von Rosenstiel died during this patrol on 5
Jul 1942
Ships hit by Jürgen von Rosenstiel
Date U-boat Commander Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
7 Oct 1941 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Svend Foyn
(d.) 14,795 br HX-152
16 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Tia Juana
2,395 br
16 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Monagas
2,650 ve
16 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel San
Nicolas 2,391 br
22 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel J.N. Pew
9,033 am
23 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Thalia
8,329 pa
23 Feb 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Sun (d.)
9,002 am
11 May 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Cape of
Good Hope 4,963 br
24 May 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Gonçalves
Dias 4,996 bz
28 May 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Alcoa
Pilgrim 6,759 am
3 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel M.F.
Elliott 6,940 am
9 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Bruxelles
5,085 be TO-5
9 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Franklin K.
Lane 6,589 am TO-5
15 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Scottsburg
8,001 am
15 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel Cold
Harbor 5,010 pa
15 Jun 1942 U-502 Jürgen von Rosenstiel West
Hardaway 5,702 am
102,640
14 ships sunk (78,843 tons) and 2 ships damaged
(23,797 tons).
