U-764

Type

VIIC

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

1 Feb 1941

Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven (werk 147)

Launched

13 Mar 1943

Commissioned

6 May 1943

Oblt. Hanskurt von Bremen

Commanders

6 May 1943

14 May 1945

Oblt. Hanskurt von Bremen

Career
8 patrols

6 May 1943	-	31 Oct 1943	8. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1943	-	30 Sep 1944	9. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	8 May 1945	11. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 ship sunk, total tonnage 638 GRT
2 warships sunk, total tonnage 1,696 tons

Fate

Surrendered on 14 May 1945 at Loch Eriboll, Scotland.

Transferred to Lisahally.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 2 February, 1946 at 56.06N x 09.00W as a target.

Final location

See the 3 ships hit by U-764 - View the 8 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-764 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Eisenhart 3 (9 Nov 1943 - 15 Nov 1943)
   Schill 3 (18 Nov 1943 - 22 Nov 1943)
   Weddigen (22 Nov 1943 - 29 Nov 1943)
   Hinein (26 Jan 1944 - 3 Feb 1944)
   Igel 1 (3 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 1 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)
   Preussen (22 Feb 1944 - 13 Mar 1944)
   Dragoner (21 May 1944 - 28 May 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

27 Nov 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British Wellington Mk.XIV HF153 (172 Sqn RAF/O, pilot P/O T.B. Wilkin)

2122hrs, about 380 miles west of Lisbon: While escorting combined convoys SL-140/MKS-31 from its base on the Azores, the Wellington made a Leigh Light attack and was hit by flak after making an initial strafing run. Its subsequent crash was witnessed by U-262 and U-238 which picked up two survivors (air gunners F/S Nicolas J. Martin and Sgt Thomas B. Semple). The other four aircrew were lost. Sgt Semple was the wireless operator and later convinced the Germans during his interrogation that Allied aircraft were able to passively locate U-boats by homing in on their radar detection devices. This deception led to the order to U-boats to turn off their Naxos detectors.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

29 Nov 1943
On 29 Nov. 1943 E of the Azores in position 39.33N, 19.01W, aircraft of the US escort carrier USS Bogue depth charged a contact. This attack was thought to have destroyed U-86.

The target was in fact U-764, which escaped unscathed.

(Sources: 1996-12-01, Eric Zimmerman)

23 May 1944
The boat was attacked by an enemy aircraft and damaged slightly. One man was wounded.

15 Jun 1944
After torpedoing the British frigate HMS Blackwood (she sank the next day) the boat was attacked by nearby escorts causing, among other things, damage to the schnorkel. The boat was forced to return to Brest, arriving 21 June. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 586)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.