German submarine U-62 (1939)
U-62 was a Type IIC submarine (also known as a coastal submarine) of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 8 May 1939 at the Flender Werke shipyard in Lübeck as yard number 278, launched on 26 August 1939, and commissioned on 7 October 1939 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Bernhard Michalowski.
U-62 conducted nine war patrols, primarily in the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. She sank six ships for a total of 21,706 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged one ship of 8,138 GRT.
Her operational history included:
- Patrol 1: From 21 November 1939 to 1 December 1939, in the North Sea. No ships sunk or damaged.
- Patrol 2: From 7 December 1939 to 12 December 1939, in the North Sea. No ships sunk or damaged.
- Patrol 3: From 16 December 1939 to 21 December 1939, in the North Sea. No ships sunk or damaged.
- Patrol 4: From 15 January 1940 to 27 January 1940, in the North Sea and off the coast of Scotland. She sank the British merchant ship Sedgepool and the Swedish merchant ship Gerd.
- Patrol 5: From 18 February 1940 to 29 February 1940, in the North Sea. She sank the British merchant ship Lagosian.
- Patrol 6: From 11 March 1940 to 26 March 1940, in the North Sea. She sank the Finnish merchant ship Wilja and the Swedish merchant ship Santos.
- Patrol 7: From 15 April 1940 to 21 April 1940, in the Kattegat and Skagerrak during the invasion of Norway. No ships sunk or damaged.
- Patrol 8: From 5 May 1940 to 29 May 1940, in the Atlantic Ocean. She sank the British merchant ship Jessmore and damaged the British merchant ship British Sovereign.
- Patrol 9: From 21 June 1940 to 3 July 1940, in the Atlantic Ocean. She sank the Dutch merchant ship Alcione.
On 5 July 1940, U-62 was decommissioned in Wilhelmshaven and transferred to the 21st U-boat Flotilla for training purposes. She served in this role until 1944.
On 2 May 1945, U-62 was scuttled in Wilhelmshaven to prevent her capture by Allied forces. Her wreck was later raised and scrapped.