Ordered 24 May 1938
Laid down 26 Nov 1939 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 969)
Launched 17 Jun 1940
Commissioned 24 Sep 1940 Oblt. Jürgen Oesten (Knights Cross)
Commanders
24 Sep 1940 - 19 Oct 1941 Kptlt. Jürgen Oesten (Knights Cross)
20 Oct 1941 - Apr 1943 Kptlt. Hermann Rasch (Knights Cross)
20 Jun 1943 - 2 Ago 1943 Oblt. Wolf-Dietrich Damerow
Career
24 Sep 1940 - 31 Dec 1940 2. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1941 - 2 Ago 1943 2. Flottille (active service)
Successes 22 ships sunk, total tonnage 138,581 GRT
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 12,634 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 8,246 GRT
1 warship damaged, total tonnage 31,100 tons
Fate. Sunk on 2 August 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 46.35N, 11.55W, by depth charges from a British and an Australian Sunderland aircraft (228 Sqn RAF/N & 461 Sqn RAAF/M). 22 dead and 36 survivors.
By www.uboat.net
In the picture above Uboat 106 is being replenished by merchant Lech in the South Atlantic during the return of the latter from one voyage to Rio de Janeiro to take miscellaneous cargo.
She left Rio 28 April 1941 with 63 tons of nickel, 1048 tons of dry salted hides, 1260 tons of castor oil, 1500 tons of cottoseed cake, 5891 kg of mica, 25 tons of rock crystal, and 960 kg of coffee.
Before starting the Northward passage, U-106 had to be supplied of fuel and provisions from Lech, but this process resulted quite laborious and it did'nt finish until 02 May 1941, when the two vessels started resuming their planned route. U-106 had to be refit again from Egerland in order to resume her patrol off Freetown. Lech continued her passage to France, but she was eventually scuttled (after escorting U-106 on 02 May 1941) 22 May 1941 upon approached by HMS Edinburg.
Photo U-106_Lech BB.jpg (720×477) (ussleahy.com)
In the south Atlantic U-106 sank 6 ships with a total of 34,715 GRT
ALMKERK - TAPANOELI - ANDALUSIAN - SILVERYEW - CLAN MACDOUGALL - SACRAMENTO VALLEY
ALMKERK
TAPANOELI
ANDALUSIAN
SILVERYEW
CLAN MACDOUGAL
SACRAMENTO VALLEY