U-978

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun, 1941

Laid down

24 Jul, 1942

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 178)

Launched

1 Apr, 1943

Commissioned

12 May, 1943

Oblt. Günther Pulst (Knights Cross)

Commanders

12 May, 1943 - 8 May, 1945

Kptlt. Günther Pulst (Knights Cross)

Career

2 patrols

12 May, 1943 - 31 Jul, 1944  5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug, 1944 - 4 Sep, 1944  3. Flottille (front boat)
5 Sep, 1944 - 8 May, 1945  11. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

1 ship a total loss for a total of 7.176 GRT

Fate

Transferred from Trondheim, Norway to Loch Ryan, Scotland on 29 May, 1945 for Operation Deadlight.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 11 Dec, 1945 in position 56.10N, 10.05W.

See the 1 ships hit by U-978 - View the 2 war patrols

General notes on this boat

U-978 carried out the longest Schnorchel patrol of the war, 68 days from Bergen, Norway on 9 Oct, 1944 to Bergen again on 16 Dec, 1944.

This even surpassed the much more famous 66-day submerged run U-977 undertook while en route to Argentina to surrender there in August, 1945.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in October 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date. 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-978 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.