Early Career
U-66 was launched on 22 April 1915. On 23 July, SM U-66 was commissioned into the Kaiserliche Marine under the command of Kapitänleutnant Thorwald von Bothmer, a 31-year-old, thirteen-year veteran of the Kaiserliche Marine. U-66 was assigned to the Baltic Flotilla (German: U-boote der Ostseetreittrafte V. Uhalbflotille) on 17 October.
In late September, the British submarine flotilla in the Baltic began a submarine offensive against German ships, intending to deny free passage of cargo, especially iron ore, from neutral Sweden to Germany. In A Naval History of World War I, author Paul G. Halpern reports on part of the German response, which was an experiment involving U-66. The U-boat was towed behind an "innocent-looking vessel" and connected to the host ship by a telephone line in addition to the towline. U-66 was able to cast off at a moment's notice to attack an enemy submarine. Halpern does not report on any encounters by U-66, nor does he provide any insight into the overall effectiveness of the plan. U-66 was not credited with the sinking of any vessels of any kind during this time. On 15 January 1916, she was transferred from the Baltic Flotilla into the 4th Flotilla (German: IV. Uhalbflotille), where she joined her sister boats U-67 and U-68.
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