List of all U-boats

U-120

Type

IIB

 
Ordered28 Sep 1937
Laid down31 Mar 1938 Flender Werke AG, Lübeck (werk 268)
Launched16 Mar 1940
Commissioned20 Apr 1940Oblt. Ernst Bauer (Knights Cross)
Commanders
20 Apr 1940 - 25 Nov 1940  Oblt. Ernst Bauer (Knights Cross)
26 Nov 1940 - 19 May 1941  Kptlt. Wolfgang Heyda
20 May 1941 - 24 Feb 1942  Oblt. Willy-Roderich Körner
25 Feb 1942 - 30 Sep 1942  Oblt. Hans Fiedler
15 Sep 1942 - 24 May 1943  Ltn. Alfred Radermacher (German Cross in Gold)
24 May 1943 - 26 Jul 1943  Ltn. Adolf Gundlach
26 Jul 1943 - 14 Sep 1944  Oblt. Joachim Sauerbier
15 Sep 1944 - 5 May 1945  Oblt. Rolf Rüdiger Bensel
Career
No patrols
20 Apr 1940-30 Jun 1940  U-Bootschulflottille (school boat)
1 Jul 1940-16 Mar 1945  21. Flottille (school boat)
17 Mar 1945-5 May 1945  31. Flottille (training)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Scuttled on 5 May 1945 at Wesermünde. Raised and broken up between October 1949 and November 1950.

Final location

General notes on this boat

The to-become Oblt. z. S. Alfred Radermacher was from 09.40 to 04.42 the Obersteuermann on U-96 (Buchheim described him in his novel Das Boot). Later he became an officer and Commander of U-120 and U-393.

Sunk by a toilet?
In many sources it is stated that this boat was lost due to a problem with the latrine. This is not true, but U-1206, a much larger boat, did suffer from such a problem that helped to contribute to its loss in April 1945.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-120 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

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


Crew X/39

Media links


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth

There was another U-120 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 20 Jun 1918 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 31 Aug 1918. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 120 during WWI.




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