List of all U-boats

U-989

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered25 May 1941
Laid down17 Oct 1942 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 189)
Launched16 Jun 1943
Commissioned22 Jul 1943Oblt. Hardo Rodler von Roithberg
Commanders
22 Jul 1943 - 14 Feb 1945  Kptlt. Hardo Rodler von Roithberg (German Cross in Gold)
Career
5 patrols
22 Jul 1943-31 Jan 1944  5. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1944-30 Sep 1944  9. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944-14 Feb 1945  33. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,791 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,176 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 14 February 1945 in the Norwegian Sea north of the Shetland Islands, in position 61.36N, 01.35W, by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Bayntun, HMS Bratwaite, HMS Loch Eck and HMS Loch Dunvegan. 47 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 2 ships hit by U-989 - View the 5 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-989 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Stürmer (26 Jan 1944 - 3 Feb 1944)
   Igel 1 (3 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 1 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

7 Jun 1944
A Leigh Light attack by a British Wellington bomber (179 Sqn RAF, pilot W.J. Hill) in the Bay of Biscay caused minor damage. A B-24 Liberator and a flight of Mosquitos then joined in, wounding the U-boat commander and forcing U-989 to return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 583)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

General notes on this boat

14 Feb 1945. Two men managed to escape after U-989 was sunk, but both died before reaching the surface. One was the commander, Oblt Hardo von Roithberg. It was his 27th birthday.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

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

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

Men lost from the boat

7 Jun 1944
A Leigh Light attack by a British Wellington bomber (179 Sqn RAF, pilot W.J. Hill) in the Bay of Biscay caused minor damage. A B-24 Liberator and a flight of Mosquitos then joined in, wounding the U-boat commander and forcing U-989 to return to base.

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Torpedo

Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel




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