German submarine U-384 explained

German submarine U-384 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out two patrols and sank one ship on each patrol. She was a member of three wolfpacks. On her second patrol, she was sunk by a British aircraft southwest of Iceland on 19 March 1943.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-384 had a displacement of 769t when at the surface and 871t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.1m (220.1feet), a pressure hull length of 50.5m (165.7feet), a beam of 6.2m (20.3feet), a height of 9.6m (31.5feet), and a draught of 4.74m (15.55feet). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of NaNPS for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23abbr=onNaNabbr=on propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . U-384 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 29 March 1941 at the Howaldtswerke at Kiel as yard number 15, launched on 28 May 1942 and commissioned on 18 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Achim von Rosenberg-Gruszcynski.

She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 18 July 1942 and the 3rd flotilla from 1 January 1943.

First patrol

U-359s first patrol took her from Kiel in Germany on 12 December 1942. She sank the Louise Lykes in mid-Atlantic on 9 January 1943. She then docked at La Pallice in occupied France on 3 February.

Second patrol and loss

Having left La Pallice on 6 March 1943, she sank the Coracero on 17 March. On 19 March, she was sunk by a British Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of No. 206 Squadron RAF.

47 men died in the U-boat; there were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate

U-361 was originally noted as sunk on 20 March 1943 by a British Sunderland flying boat of 201 Squadron. This attack was against . No damage was sustained.

Wolfpacks

U-384 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Summary of raiding history

DateShip NameNationalityTonnage
(GRT)
Fate[1]
9 January 1943 United States6,155Sunk
17 March 1943Coracero United Kingdom7,252Sunk

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ships hit by U-384 . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 26 December 2014.