List of all U-boats

U-271

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered20 Jan 1941
Laid down21 Oct 1941 Bremer Vulkan-Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack (werk 36)
Launched29 Jul 1942
Commissioned23 Sep 1942Kptlt. Curt Barleben
Commanders
23 Sep 1942 - 28 Jan 1944   Curt Barleben
Career
3 patrols
23 Sep 1942-31 May 1943  8. Flottille (training)
1 Jun 1943-28 Jan 1944  1. Flottille (active service)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk on 28 January 1944 in the North Atlantic west of Ireland, in position 53.15N, 15.52W, by depth charges from a US Liberator aircraft (VB-103 USN/E). 51 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-271 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Rügen (21 Jan 1944 - 26 Jan 1944)
   Hinein (26 Jan 1944 - 28 Jan 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

24 Jun 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: American PB4Y-1 Liberator BuNo 32046 (VB-103 USN/B-9, pilot Lt Hubert Kearsley Reese Jr, USNR) 0850hrs, SSE of Cape Farewell, Greenland: when the Liberator (misidentified as PBM Mariner flying boat) approached from astern, U-271 evaded by turning hard to port and opened AA fire at a distance of 800m (874 yards). The Germans observed hits to the cockpit and the fuselage just before four depth charges were dropped and the aircraft crashed in flames approx. 1500m (1 mile) away. They searched the area, but all ten aircrew had perished. The depth charges damaged some of the batteries, the compressors, the forward latrine, the hydrophones and three torpedoes stored in the bow compartment, but the U-boat was able to continue her patrol after the crew carried out repairs.

(Sources: KTB U-271/vpnavy.com)

21 Oct 1943
One of the crew was killed when U-271 was attacked by two Avengers from USS Core while serving as a flak boat.

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

21 Oct 1943
One of the crew was killed when U-271 was attacked by two Avengers from USS Core while serving as a flak boat.

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Hatchet

Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel




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