U-763

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

21 Jan 1941

Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven (werk 146)

Launched

16 Jan 1943

Commissioned

13 Mar 1943

Oblt. Ernst Cordes

Commanders

13 Mar 1943	-	31 Oct 1944	Kptlt. Ernst Cordes (German Cross in Gold)
Aug, 1944	-	Oct, 1944	Ltn. Kurt Braun
1 Nov 1944	-	29 Jan 1945	Oblt. Karl-Heinz Schröter

Career
4 patrols

13 Mar 1943	-	31 Oct 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1943	-	30 Sep 1944	3. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	31 Oct 1944	33. Flottille (active service)
1 Nov 1944	-	29 Jan 1945	24. Flottille (training)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,927 GRT

Fate

Scuttled on 29 January 1945 in the Schichau shipyard at Königsberg because the unseaworthy boat could not be evacuated after being damaged by bombs during a Soviet air raid on 24 January. (Axel Niestlé, December 1994).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-763 - View the 4 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-763 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Rügen 3 (28 Dec 1943 - 31 Dec 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

4 Feb 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: 0821hrs, Bay of Biscay, NNW of Cape Finisterre, inbound: British B-24 Liberator BZ795 (53 Sqn RAF/F, pilot Sgt T.A. Patey)

The aircraft was shot down with the loss of all seven aircrew. Depth charges that were dropped did no damage.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Feb 1944
0135hrs, Bay of Biscay, NE of Cape Ferrol: the inbound boat was attacked by British B-24 Liberator BZ815 (53 Sqn RAF/D, pilot P/O L.L. Esler, RCAF). U-763's Naxos apparatus detected the aircraft radar, and accurate AA fire damaged its tail during the attack run. The depth charges missed, and Aphrodite decoys successfully diverted the aircraft from further attacks. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Feb 1944
0215hrs, Bay of Biscay, NNE of Cape Ferrol: the inbound boat was attacked by British Wellington HF282 (172 Sqn RAF/M, pilot F/O C.S. Rowland). Both wings, the fuselage and the tail were hit by flak, and the aircraft was forced to return to base after its depth charges exploded astern of U-763 without effect. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Feb 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Halifax bomber (502 Sqn RAF/R, pilot F/O F.T. Culling-Mannix, RNZAF)

22.05 hrs, Bay of Biscay, west of Bordeaux, inbound: repeated AA hits were scored on the Halifax during its first attack run, and it crashed, killing the crew of eight.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

5 Jul 1944
U-763, having attacked convoy ETC-26 in the English Channel, managed to escape despite being hunted for 30 hours during which a staggering total of 550 depth charges were dropped. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 587)

24 Sep 1944
The target of the attack by British B-24 Liberator (224 Sqn RAF/A) on 24 September 1944 at 61.00N, 04.07E, just off Sognefjord, north of Bergen, formerly credited with sinking U-855, was actually U-763, which escaped with moderate damage. (Sources: 1987-09-01, FDS/NHB)

6 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

23 Aug 1944. Ltnt. Kurt Braun as acting commander brought U-763 from La Pallice in France via Bergen, Norway to Flensburg in Germany to join the 33rd U-Flotilla. He celebrated his 21st birthday on 23 Aug, 1944, four days out from La Pallice.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in April 1944.

Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-763 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.