German submarine U-615

German submarine U-615 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) for service during World War II.

Commissioned on 26 March 1942, and commanded by Kapitänleutnant Ralph Kapitzky, she was depth charged and sunk in the Caribbean Sea, north of Porlamar on 7 August 1943, in position 12.63333°N, -64.25°W, by US 6 Mariner and 1 Ventura aircraft. It was the largest aircraft hunt ever mounted for a single U-boat. Of her crew 4 (including her captain) were killed, and 43 survived.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-615 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-615 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Wolfpacks
U-615 took part in 10 wolfpacks, namely:
 * Pfeil (12 – 22 September 1942)
 * Blitz (22 – 26 September 1942)
 * Tiger (26 – 30 September 1942)
 * Wotan (5 – 19 October 1942)
 * Draufgänger (1 – 11 December 1942)
 * Ungestüm (11 – 30 December 1942)
 * Burggraf (25 February – 5 March 1943)
 * Raubgraf (7 – 20 March 1943)
 * Seewolf (24 – 30 March 1943)
 * Adler (7 – 13 April 1943)