German submarine U-72 was a Type VIIC submarine of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
U-72 was launched on 22 November 1940 and commissioned on 4 January 1941. U-72 served with 24th U-boat Flotilla (a training unit), and later with 21st U-boat Flotilla (also a training unit), from 2 July 1941 to 30 March 1945. U-72 was used throughout World War II as a training boat until it was sunk in a daylight American bombing raid on 30 March 1945.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-72 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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-72 was fitted with two 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes at the bow, fourteen torpedoes, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
The U 72 was found off the coast of Fla in 1971 by divers from Diver Haven, between the second and third reef. It is now in the area of the "Graveyard of ships in North Carolina.
UPDATE: According to information found on the uboat.net site "Sunk on 30 March 1945 at Bremen in the shipyard of Deschimag AG Weser, in position 53.08N, 08.46E, by bombs during US air raid (8th AF).
Wreck raised until 2 July 1947 and broken up.