U-372

Type

VIIC

Ordered

23 Sep 1939

Laid down

17 Nov 1939

Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel (werk 3)

Launched

8 Mar 1941

Commissioned

19 Apr 1941

Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann

Commanders

19 Apr 1941

4 Aug 1942

Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann

Career
6 patrols

19 Apr 1941	-	1 Jul 1941	1. Flottille (training)
1 Jul 1941	-	13 Dec 1941	1. Flottille (active service)
14 Dec 1941	-	4 Aug 1942	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 11,751 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 14,650 GRT

Fate

Sunk 4 Aug, 1942 in the Mediterranean south-west of Haifa, in position 32.28N, 34.37E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Sikh and HMS Zulu and the escort destroyers HMS Croome and HMS Tetcott and by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (221 Sqdn.). 48 survivors (no casualties).

Loss position

See the 4 ships hit by U-372 - View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-372 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Brandenburg (15 Sep 1941 - 1 Oct 1941)
   Störtebecker (16 Nov 1941 - 19 Nov 1941)
   Steuben (19 Nov 1941 - 2 Dec 1941)

Attacks on this boat

5 Aug 1941
Having sunk 2 ships from the heavily escorted convoy SL-81 the boat was attacked in turn by its third intended victim, the British freighter Volturo, which also brought in the escort corvette HMS Zinnia that attempted ramming and fired her guns. The boat managed to dive and escape. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 333)

12 Aug 1941
At 08.55 hours, the inbound boat was attacked by a Blenheim (1404 Met Flt RAF/C, pilot FltLt D.F. Wykeham-Martin, RAFVR) in the Bay of Biscay. The aircraft tried to surprise U-372 by carrying out a dive bomb attack out of cloud cover, but she evaded by turning towards the attacker and then immediately crash-dived. A first 250lb A/S bomb detonated about 35 yards off the port bow and a second was dropped shortly after the U-boat submerged, but caused no damage. However, it seems that U-372 had some difficulties with the diving procedure as the airmen observed how her stern was still visible over the water until it disappeared in an oily patch left by a big air bubble. (Sources: KTB U-372/ADM 199-1781)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-372 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.