German submarine U-199

German submarine U-199 was a Type IXD2 U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 10 October 1941 at the AG Weser yard at Bremen as 'werk' 1045, launched on 11 July 1942 and commissioned on 28 November. She was commanded by Ritterkreuz recipient Kapitänleutnant Hans-Werner Kraus, who had previously successfully commanded GS U-47 (1938) and GS U-83 (1941).

After training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla at Stettin, U-199 was transferred to the 12th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service from 1 May 1943.

She was sunk off the Brazilian coast in 1943 by a combination of attacks by Brazilian and American aircraft.

Operational history
U-199 sailed from Kiel on 13 May 1943 on her first and only operational patrol; she negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, before heading south and had crossed the Equator by 17 June, targeting ships in the South Atlantic Ocean. Operating off the Brazilian coast, she torpedoed and damaged the Brazilian armed merchant ship Bury, which returned fire and managed to escape. On 4 July, the submarine was spotted on the surface by the small fishing boat Changri-Lá. The Brazilian boat was sunk with the loss of all hands by gun fire. U-199 had her first and only significant success, sinking the British merchant ship Henzada on 25 July.

U-199 was found on the surface, off Rio de Janeiro, in position -23.9°N, -42.9°W, by three aircraft, a PBY Catalina and a Lockheed Hudson (both Brazilian) and an American PBM Mariner on 31 July. The Catalina, codenamed Ärará, hit U-199 with depth charges, sinking her. The pilot of the Catalina was 2º Ten.-Av. (2nd Lt.) Alberto M. Torres. Forty-nine of the crew were killed, although twelve Germans managed to escape the doomed submarine, including the captain. This was possible due to the actions of the Catalina’s crew, who threw a lifeboat to the survivors. They were rescued by the USS Barnegat (AVP-10) and taken to Brazil, and then on to captivity in the United States.