German submarine U-921 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was ordered on 6 June 1941, and was laid down on 15 October 1941 at Neptun Werft AG, Rostock, as yard number 508. She was launched on 3 April 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Leu on 30 May 1943.[1]
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-921 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 SSW GU 343/38-8 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-921 was fitted with five 53.30NaN0 torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.82NaN2 SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7cm (01.5inches) Flak M42 and two twin 2sp=usNaNsp=us C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.
On 24 May 1944, U-921 was spotted off Norway, en route to Narvik, by a Canadian Sunderland, DV990, of 422/R Squadron RCAF piloted by F/O G.E. Holley. U-921 had been searching for which had been attacked from the air earlier in the day and badly damaged. U-921 was able to hit the Sunderland on its attack run causing it to crash into the sea after dropping three depth charges, which resulted in no damage to U-921 but all the crewmen of the Sunderland were lost.
Shortly after this first attack U-921 was sighted by another Canadian Sunderland, DW111, of 423/S Squadron RCAF piloted by F/L R.H. Nesbitt. U-921 was able to avoid the five depth charges dropped by the Sunderland but strafing wounded the commander, Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Leu, and two other crewmen. As U-921 was diving, Leu was able to get both of the wounded crewmen below, but then closed the hatch to prevent her from sinking, sacrificing himself. U-921 sailed for Trondheim, arriving 26 May 1944, under command of her I. WO (1st Wachoffizier) Leutnant zur See Hans-Joachim Neumann.
On 24 September 1944, 20 days into her second war patrol, U-921 sent her last radio transmission from 74.75°N 63°W, west of Bear Island in the Norwegian Sea, in which she stated that, due to unspecified damage, she needed to return to port. U-921 was ordered to continue to operate against Convoy RA 60 and postpone her return. On 2 October 1944 she was listed as missing when, after the end of the convoy battle, she failed to return to Narvik.
U-921 took part in one wolfpack, namely: