U-972
Type | VIIC | |||
| Ordered | 5 Jun, 1941 | |||
| Laid down | 15 Jun, 1942 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 172) | ||
| Launched | 22 Feb, 1943 | |||
| Commissioned | 8 Apr, 1943 | Oblt. Klaus-Dietrich König | ||
| Commanders |
| |||
| Career | 1 patrol | 8 Apr, 1943 - 30 Nov, 1943 5. Flottille (training) 1 Dec, 1943 - 1 Jan, 1944 6. Flottille (front boat) | ||
| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||
| Fate | Missing in action in January 1944. 49 dead (all hands lost). | |||
Showell's U-boat Command and the Battle of the Atlantic reports that this boat was sunk to one of its torpedoes. U-377 was belived to have been lost to its circling T5 torpedoes but now it's belived she was sunk by allied warships.
(Note: We give the date for U-972 as Dec 31, 1943 to have a reference point).
Previously recorded fate (Last revised by Axel Niestlé during September 2003). More on revised fates
The boat was sunk by one of its own acoustic torpedoes in late Dec, 1943 in the North Atlantic.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-972 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
![]() German U-Boat Losses During World War II Niestle, Axel Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: |
|
Related page: U-boats Missing in Action. |

