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, crossing 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 before escaping. On 4 July, the submarine was spotted on the surface by the small fishing boat
Changri-Lá. The Brazilian boat was sunk with all hands by gunfire.
U-199 had her first and only significant success, sinking the British merchant ship
Henzada on 25 July.
Fate U-199 was found on the surface, off
Rio de Janeiro, in position , by three aircraft, a PBY Catalina, a
Lockheed Hudson (both Brazilian), and an American
Martin PBM Mariner of
VP-74 on 31 July. who later went to Italy as part of
1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron. Forty-nine of the crew were killed, although twelve Germans, including the captain, escaped. This was possible due to the actions of the Catalina's crew, who threw a lifeboat to the survivors. They were rescued by the and taken to Brazil, and then on to captivity in the United States. ==Summary of raiding history==