U-977

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun, 1941

Laid down

24 Jul, 1942

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 177)

Launched

31 Mar, 1943

Commissioned

6 May, 1943

Oblt. Hans Leilich

Commanders

6 May, 1943 - Mar, 1945	Kptlt. Hans Leilich
Mar, 1945 - 17 Aug, 1945	Oblt. Heinz Schaeffer

Career

1 patrol

6 May, 1943 - 30 Sep, 1943  5. Flottille (training)
1 Oct, 1943 - 28 Feb, 1945  21. Flottille (school boat)
1 Mar, 1945 - 8 May, 1945  31. Flottille (training)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Interned at Mar del Plata, Argentina on 17 August, 1945 after a 66-day submerged trip from Norway.

Surrendered to USA in Boston on 13 Nov, 1945. She was torpedoed off Massachusetts on 13 Nov, 1946 during torpedo trials by the US submarine USS Atule.

View the 1 war patrol

General notes on this boat

On 10 May, 1945 U-977, in Norwegian waters when Germany surrendered, put ashore those men who did not wish to accompany the rest of the crew on a desperate voyage to Argentina.

Surrender in Argentina in August, 1945

The boat left Kristiansand, Norway on 2 May, 1945 for a combat patrol in the English Channel. When Germany surrendered a few days later the boat was outbound in Norwegian waters. After deciding to head for Argentina Schäffer gave the married men on board the chance to go to shore. Roughly a third of the crew, 16 men, opted for the shore and were put on land on 10 May near Holsenöy in dinghies. They all ended up in British hands. U-977 then sailed for Argentina; from May 10 to July 14 the voyage was a 66-day continuous submerged Schnorchel run, the second longest in the war (after U-978's 68 days).

The journey was extremely difficult for the crew and many were apparently on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The boat stopped in Cape Verde Islands for a short swim break and then headed south on the surface using one diesel. Crossing the equator on July 23 she arrived in Mar del Plata, Argentina on 17 August for a total patrol length of 108 days.

The commander, Heinz Schäffer, published a book in 1952 called U-boat 977 about his journey.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in February 1945. 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-977 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.