Type: IX-B
Built by: AG Weser (Bremen)
Launched: 17 June, 1940
Commissioned: 29 September, 1940
Feldpost Nr.: M34486
Sunk: 2 August, 1943
Sunk by: RAF and RCAF A/C
Location sunk: NW of Cape Ortegal
Position sunk: 46.35N x 11.55W (25 men lost)

Skippers of U-106 include KPLT JURGEN OESTEN (1681-1990); Kplt Hermann Rasch from 20 October; 1941 and Oblt Damerow from 4 April, 1943. U-106 was attached to the famous and battle-hardened 2nd U-Boot-Flotille at Lorient on 24 September, 1940 until her loss. Both OESTEN and Rasch won the KNIGHTS CROSS.

This boat resupplied at various times from EGERLAND, CORRIENTES & from NORDMARK, which was disguised as the American ship SS PRAIRIE. U-106 escorted the blockade runner SS LECH from Rio de Janiero into the South Atlantic in April of 1941 and also escorted the SS ANNALIESE ESSBERGER in the North Atlantic in early September of 1941. The four-man bridge watch was washed overboard in a storm 23 October, 1941 - they were not recovered. An officer was killed and the Skipper (Damerow) wounded in an air attack 27 July, 1942. A survivor of SS ETRIB, one of the victims of U-552, was rescued and interrogated on board, 24 June 1942.

U-106 operated off Freetown (Africa) in March and May, 1941; off Chesapeake Bay (USA) in January, 1942 as part of Operation PAUKENSCHLAG while under Rasch; in the Caribbean and in the Gulf of Mexico as part of Operation NEULAND in May, 1942; and off Nova Scotia & in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) October and November 1942. She was sunk in the North Atlantic with 25 men lost, 36 survivors. Her War journal (KTB) was recovered by German forces.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-106 UNDER OESTEN

16.01.41 ZEALANDIC Brit mtrshp 10,578 GRT
29.01.41 SESOSTRIS Egyp stmr 2,962 GRT
11.03.41 MEMNON Brit stmr 7,506 GRT
16.03.41 ALMKERK Neth mtrshp 6,810 GRT
17.03.41 ANDALUSIAN Brit stmr 3,082 GRT
17.03.41 TAPANOELI Neth stmr 7,031 GRT
(NOTE - there were attacks on two other ships in this battle with Convoy SL.68 for which OESTEN claimed a ship of 7,000 GRT sunk and another damaged. There was no confirmation of either.)
24.03.41 unknown ???? stmr 5,000 GRT
(NOTE - from a distance of about 600 years, OESTEN saw one torpedo hit amidships on a northbound steamer. Her keel broken, the ship sank in ten minutes. It was assumed that this was the Brazilian that he had hit the battleship HMS MALAYA.

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-106 UNDER OESTEN
20.03.41 HMS MALAYA Brit BATTLESHIP 31,100 GRT
(NOTE - OESTEN fired at the shadow of a merchant ship in bad light conditions and did not realize at that time that he had hit the battleship HMS MALAYA.

Note: SS SANTA CLARA (the former American SS MAHUKONA) but SANTA CLARA sent a radio message SOS on 14 March, due to an on-board explosion, from an area far removed from the operating area of U-106. Later, USCGC BIBB found wreckage of the SANTA CLARA, but no AXIS submarines were operating in that area.)
30.05.41 SILVERYEW Brit mtrshp 6,373 GRT
31.05.41 CLAN MacDOUGALL Brit mtrshp 6,843 GRT
06.06.41 SACRAMENTO VALLEY Brit stmr 4,573 GRT

SHIPS SUNK BY U-106 UNDER RASCH
28.10.41 unknown ???? stmr 5,000 GRT
(NOTE - At very close range, Rasch saw his torpedo hit the ship, which sank in about 3 minutes. No confirmation or ship name)
24.01.42 EMPIRE WILDEBEESTE Brit stmr 5,631 GRT
28.01.42 TRAVELLER Brit stmr 3,963 GRT
30.01.42 ROCHESTER Amer tnkr 6,836 GRT
03.02.42 AMERIKALAND Swed mtrshp 15,355 GRT
06.02.42 OPAWA Brit mtrshp 10,354 GRT
05.05.42 LADY DRAKE Cana stmr 7,985 GRT
(NOTE - this was one of the famous 'LADY' ships of the Canadian National Railway. It was one of these 'LADY' ships that took the abdicated King Edward VIII of England, then Duke of Windsor, & his wife into exile in the Bahamas.)
21.05.42 FAJA de ORO Mexi tnkr 6,067 GRT
26.05.42 CARRABULLE Amer tnkr 5,030 GRT
28.05.42 MENTOR Brit stmr 7,383 GRT
01.06.42 HAMPTON ROADS Amer stmr 2,689 GRT
11.10.42 WATERTON Brit stmr 2,140 GRT

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-106 UNDER RASCH
30.10.41 SALINAS Amer tnkr 8,246 GRT