U-172
Type | IXC | |||||
| Ordered | 23 Dec 1939 | |||||
| Laid down | 11 Dec 1940 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1012) | ||||
| Launched | 31 Jul 1941 | |||||
| Commissioned | 5 Nov 1941 | Kptlt. Carl Emmermann (Oak Leaves) | ||||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 6 patrols | 5 Nov 1941 - 30 Apr 1942 4. Flottille (training) 1 May 1942 - 13 Dec 1943 10. Flottille (front boat) | ||||
| Successes | 26 ships sunk for a total of 152,080 GRT | |||||
| Fate | Sunk 13 December, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic after a 27 hour fight west of the Canary Islands, in position 26.29N, 29.58W, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19) of the American escort carrier USS Bogue and by some 200 depth charges from the US destroyers USS George E. Badger, USS Clemson, USS Osmond Ingram and USS Du Pont. 13 dead and 46 survivors. | |||||
See the 26 ships hit by U-172 - View the 6 war patrols
Wolfpack operations
U-172 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Eisbär (23 Aug 1942 - 29 Aug 1942)
Unverzagt (12 Mar 1943 - 22 Mar 1943)
Seerauber (22 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
Attacks on this boat
8 Oct 1942
The boat was depth charged by the British corvette HMS Rock Rose but suffered only slight damage.
28 Mar 1943
Wolfpack Seeräuber (Pirate) attacked small convoy RS 3 and during which 3 ships were sunk and 3 U-boats (of 8) seriously damaged. U-172 damaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)
7 Apr 1943
The boat was attacked by 2 American USAAF B-24 Liberator bombers (Sqdn 1) dropping 12 depth charges but the boat stayed on the surface and fought it out. No damages to the boat. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)
11 Aug 1943
While rescuing men from the just-scuttled U-604 the U-172 was attacked by an aircraft and 1 man from its crew was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]
4 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
11 Aug 1943
While rescuing men from the just-scuttled U-604 the U-172 was attacked by an aircraft and 1 man from its crew was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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