Ships hit by U-boats


USS Leopold (DE 319)

American Destroyer escort



The launching of USS Leopold (DE 319)

NameUSS Leopold (DE 319)
Type:Destroyer escort (Edsall)
Tonnage1,200 tons
Completed1943 - Consolidated Steel Co, Orange TX 
OwnerUnited States Navy 
Homeport 
Date of attack9 Mar 1944Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-255 (Erich Harms)
Position58° 44'N, 25° 50'W - Grid AK 3862
Complement200 officers and men (172 dead and 28 survivors).
ConvoyCU-16
RouteNew York (1 Mar) - UK 
Cargo 
History Completed in October 1943 
Notes on event

On 9 March 1944 the US Coast Guard manned USS Leopold (DE 319) (Cdr Kenneth C. Phillips, USCG) was on her second voyage and escorting convoy CU-16, when she got an acoustic contact about 400 miles south of Iceland and turned to investigate it. But before the destroyer escort reached the U-boat, she was hit at 22.00 hours by a Gnat from U-255 and was abandoned. The vessel broke in two and remained afloat, but both parts sank early the next morning. The commander, all twelve officers and 159 ratings were lost. Only 28 survivors and three bodies were picked up by the sister ship USS Joyce (DE 317) and taken to Londonderry.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 175 people who were on board


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Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)

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