Thanks to CHUCK MYLES (1068-1989) for this huge task. Every time a U-Boat took on fuel in any foreign port, on the high seas, from another U-Boat, from some other ship - any way at all that a U-Boat took on fuel, CHUCK put it on this list.

U-173 departed her French base (the 2nd U-Boot-Flotille at Lorient) on 16 June, 1942 and headed for her patrol area in the Antilles. She took on fuel from U-460 on 14 July, 1942 while en route. She patrolled to the south of Cuba, off the Antilles, then eastward and southeastward in the Caribbean. Approximately 8 September, 1942 U-173 took on fuel from U-462 for her homeward trip, and she arrived France on 20 September.

U-161 took on fuel from U-462 north of the Bahamas on 16 July, 1942 for her return to base. This was the second refueling of U-161 on this patrol; the first was on her outbound leg in June.

U-509 departed her home port in France (the 10th U-Boot-Flotille at Lorient) on 25 June, 1942 en route to her patrol area in the Antilles. She took fuel from U-460 on 19 July then patrolled in the Gulf of Mexico, then the Western Caribbean and finally the Eastern Caribbean before departing on 26 August for her home port, which she reached on 12 September.

U-508 departed her home port in France (the 10th U-Boot-Flotille at Lorient) on 25 June, 1942 en route to her patrol area in the Antilles. She took on fuel from U-460 in mid-July then patrolled in the Antilles, off Cuba, off Florida, in the Florida Straits then north of the Antilles before leaving station approximately 27 August for her return to home port, which she reached 15 September.

U-607 departed her French base (the 7th U-Boot-Flotille at St. Nazaire) on 9 July, 1942 and took on fuel from U-461 approximately 29 July. U-607 attacked Convoy ON.113 while on passage in the North Atlantic prior to refueling and later, joined Group STEINBRINK and engaged Convoy ON.115 and Convoy SC.94. She returned to her home port, arriving on 16 August.

U-454 departed her French base (the 7th U-Boot-Flotille at St. Nazaire) on 4 July, 1942 and took fuel from U-461 approximately 29 July. She joined Group WOLF in the North Atlantic and engaged an unidentified convoy with no results then engaged Convoy ON.113 prior to refueling, then joined

Group STEINBRINK and engaged Convoy SC.94 where she sustained damage and was forced to leave the field of battle. She arrived her home port on 17 August, 1942.

This section will continue in KTB #113 next month. Did you know that U-977 left Norway, went round England, back to Norway then on her historic one-way voyage to Argentina where she surrendered three months AFTER the end of the War - on only 90 tons of fuel? With a full load of 113 tons, a TYPE VII-C has a radius of only 8,500 miles yet U-977 went all this distance on just 90 tons. If this seems strange, keep reading the INTELLIGENCE PAGE and this trick of 'fuel efficiency' will be revealed.

More U-Boat Refueling

U-Boat Refueling: (#114)
U-Boat Refueling: (#112)