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German submarine U-372

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History
Nazi Germany
NameU-372
Ordered23 September 1939
BuilderHowaldtswerke, Kiel
Yard number3
Laid down17 November 1939
Launched8 March 1941
Commissioned19 April 1941
FateSunk 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E / 32.467; 34.617, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers and an RAF Wellington bomber.
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacementlist error: <br /> list (help)
769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Lengthlist error: <br /> list (help)
67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beamlist error: <br /> list (help)
6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draft4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed powerlist error: <br /> list (help)
2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsionlist error: <br /> list (help)
2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors
Speedlist error: <br /> list (help)
17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Rangelist error: <br /> list (help)
8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depthlist error: <br /> list (help)
230 m (750 ft)
Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armamentlist error: mixed text and list (help)
Service record
Part of: list error: <br /> list (help)
1st U-boat Flotilla
(2 January – 30 November 1942) - Training
1st U-boat Flotilla
(1 December 1942 – 1 March 1944)
Commanders: list error: <br /> list (help)
Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann
(2 January – 12 September 1942)
Operations: list error: <br /> list (help)
1st patrol:
9 July – 13 August 1941
2nd patrol:
10 September – 13 October 1941
3rd patrol:
13 November – 16 December 1941
4th patrol:
17–31 January 1942
5th patrol:
15 June – 12 July 1942
6th patrol:
27 July – 4 August 1942
Victories: list error: <br /> list (help)
3 merchant ships sunk (11,751 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk (14,650 GRT

German submarine U-372 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1939 by Howaldtswerke, Kiel as construction number 3, launched on 8 March 1941 and commissioned on 19 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-372 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. It had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 shaft horsepower (760 PS; 560 kW) for use while submerged. It had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. It was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, it could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, it could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-372 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at its bow and one at its stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. It had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 19 April 1941, followed by active service on 1 July 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla until 13 December 1941, whence she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla for operations in the Mediterranean.

In 6 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of 11,751 gross register tons (GRT), and an auxiliary warship of 14,650 GRT.

Wolfpacks

U-372 took part in three wolfpacks, namely

  • Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
  • Störtebecker (16–19 November 1941)
  • Steuben (19 November – 2 December 1941)

Fate

U-372 was sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean, SW of Haifa, in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E / 32.467; 34.617, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, HMS Croome, HMS Tetcott and an RAF Wellington bomber. All hands survived.

Summary of raiding career

Date Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate
5 August 1941 Belgravian  United Kingdom 3,136 Sunk
5 August 1941 Swiftpool  United Kingdom 5,205 Sunk
19 September 1941 Baron Pentland  United Kingdom 3,410 Sunk
30 June 1942 HMS Medway  Royal Navy 14,650 Sunk

See also

References

  1. ^ Gröner 1985, pp. 72–74.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher (in German). Vol. III. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Invalid |ref=harv (help)
  • Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

Type VII submarines
Type VIIA
Type VIIB
Type VIIC
Type VIIC/41
Type VIID
Type VIIF

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