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History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name | U-372 |
Ordered | 23 September 1939 |
Builder | Howaldtswerke, Kiel |
Yard number | 3 |
Laid down | 17 November 1939 |
Launched | 8 March 1941 |
Commissioned | 19 April 1941 |
Fate | Sunk 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 type | Type VIIC submarine |
Displacement | list error: <br /> list (help) 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged |
Length | list error: <br /> list (help) 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull |
Beam | list error: <br /> list (help) 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
Draft | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power | list 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) |
Propulsion | list error: <br /> list (help) 2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors |
Speed | list 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 |
Range | list 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 depth | list error: <br /> list (help) 230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft) |
Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament | list 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
- ^ Gröner 1985, pp. 72–74.
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
- 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.
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(help) - Gröner, Erich (1985). U-Boote, Hilfskreuzer, Minenschiffe, Netzleger, Sperrbrecher (in German). Vol. III. Koblenz: Bernard & Graefe. ISBN 3-7637-4802-4.
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(help) - Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Categories:
- German Type VIIC submarines
- 1941 ships
- U-boats commissioned in 1941
- U-boats sunk in 1942
- U-boats sunk by depth charges
- U-boats sunk by British warships
- U-boats sunk by British aircraft
- World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean
- World War II submarines of Germany
- Ships built in Kiel
- Maritime incidents in August 1942