List of all U-boats
U-921
Type | VIIC | ||||||||||||||||
| Ordered | 6 Jun 1941 | ||||||||||||||||
| Laid down | 15 Oct 1941 | Neptun Werft AG, Rostock (werk 508) | |||||||||||||||
| Launched | 3 Apr 1943 | ||||||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 30 May 1943 | Oblt. Wolfgang Leu | |||||||||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 2 patrols |
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| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | ||||||||||||||||
| Fate | Listed as missing in the Arctic Ocean north-west of Narvik, Norway on 2 October 1944. 51 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, December 1997). | ||||||||||||||||
No explanation exists for its loss. Probably already lost before Sept 29.
Previously recorded fate
- Sunk 30 Sept 1944 in the Arctic Ocean northwest of Hammerfest, Norway,
in position 72.32N, 12.55E, by depth charges from aircraft of the British escort carrier HMS Campania. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was in fact against U-636 and U-968 inflicting no damage.
Wolfpack operations
U-921 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Grimm (9 Sep 1944 - 2 Oct 1944)
Attacks on this boat
24 May 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:
Canadian Sunderland aircraft DV990 (422 Sqdn RCAF/R, pilot F/O G.E. Holley)
14.20 hrs, off Norway: the boat was attacked while searching for U-476, which had been badly damaged by air attack earlier in the day. The Sunderland was hit by AA fire during the attack run and and crashed into the sea after dropping three depth charges that caused no damage. The crew of 12 all died.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)24 May 1944
After shooting down one Sunderland at 14.20 hours, U-921 was spotted shortly afterwards by Sunderland DW111 (423 Sqdn RCAF/S, pilot F/L R.H. Nesbitt), responding to a Mayday call, and which had apparently observed the first Sunderland crash from a distance of about 12 miles. U-921 avoided the five depth charges it dropped, but strafing wounded 3 men, including the commander, Oblt. Wolfgang Leu. Oblt. Leu got both wounded crewmen below as the boat was diving, then closed the hatch, sacrificing himself to prevent the boat sinking. U-921 reached Trondheim on 26 May under the command of the IWO. (An American submarine commander was awarded the Medal of Honor for the selfsame act of heroism in the Pacific). (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
24 May 1944
A Canadian Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn 422/R) attacked the boat. The aircraft was shot down but not before wounding 3 men, including the Commander, Oblt. Wolfgang Leu. As the boat crash dived Leu got both his wounded men down but did not manage to get down into the tower himself. He slammed the hatch down as the boat dove and was drowned. The boat reached Trondheim, Norway under the command of the I WO on the 26th. (An American submarine commander received the Medal of Honor for the very same act in the Pacific).
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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