1943

U-73. During an attack against convoy GUS 24 in the Mediterranean, U-73 was rammed by a destroyer, resulting in the loss of the Flakvierling quadruple AA gun.

U-593. 00.30 hrs, Mediterranean, NE of Bougie, Algeria: the boat was attacked by Wellington aircraft MP816 (36 Sqn RAF/B, pilot F/O C.F. Parker) during the Swamp operation that followed the sinking of HMS Tynedale and HMS Holcombe by U-593 on 12 December. The aircraft approached the U-boat after radar contact but the Leigh Light failed and it was hit in the port wing and tailplane by very accurate AA fire. The tail gunner fired 600 rounds at U-593 and a sighting report was made that led to her sinking by the US destroyer USS Wainwright and the British escort destroyer HMS Calpe. The damaged Wellington landed safely at Bone. (Franks/Zimmerman)

1944

U-636. Four men were wounded when the machine gun exploded during an air attack.

114 men died when those 4 U-boats were lost on this date. 97 men survived.

Survivors from U-boats almost always landed in allied captivity.
U-boats marked with + were lost with all hands.

- For more information on U-boat losses check out our Fates section.

1941

U-201
An explosion in Brest (France) harbor killed 1 man, Maschinenobergefreiter Josef Zander.

- For more information on Men lost from U-boats check out this page.

The following men were born on this day:
Wolfgang Hermann (1908), Walter Kasparek (1921), Wilhelm Luis (1915), Heinrich Pahls (1919), Reinhart Reche (1915).

The following men died on this day:
Gert Dültgen (1943), Diether Todenhagen (1944).

See the entire U-boat commander listing showing all U-boat commanders.
We might include more officers (Allied and Axis) at a later date.

This section shows the U-boat departures and arrivals from bases on this day of the year. Current country names shown with harbour names. Boats entering port display days at sea during that patrol.

1939

Sailed:
From Kiel, Germany: U-22

U-boats entering base:
To Kiel, Germany: U-20 (7 days)

1941

Sailed:
From Brest, France: U-202
From Kiel, Germany: U-581, U-653

U-boats entering base:
To Lorient, France: U-105 (36 days), U-126 (81 days)

1942

Sailed:
From Brest, France: U-441
From La Pallice: U-620
From Narvik, Norway: U-209

U-boats entering base:
To Bergen, Norway: U-376 (4 days)
To Lorient, France: U-118 (32 days)

1944

Sailed:
From Kiel, Germany: U-825
From Trondheim, Norway: U-737 (lost 7 days later)

Boats entering port on this day are not counted, but boats departing for patrol are. (+) indicates the boat was lost during this patrol.

1939

U-13, U-22, U-23, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-38, U-43, U-47, U-48, U-57, U-60, U-61.
13 boats at sea.

1940

U-37, U-43, U-52, U-65, U-94, U-96, U-100, U-140.
8 boats at sea.

1941

U-43, U-67, U-68, U-74, U-77, U-83, U-86, U-107, U-108, U-124, U-127 (+), U-128, U-129, U-130, U-131 (+), U-202, U-332, U-371, U-372, U-374, U-375, U-431, U-432, U-434 (+), U-453, U-557 (+), U-559, U-562, U-565, U-566, U-568, U-569, U-573, U-574 (+), U-575, U-576, U-581, U-584, U-653, UA.
40 boats at sea.

1942

U-24, U-67, U-81, U-83, U-86, U-91, U-92, U-103, U-105, U-106, U-109, U-123, U-124, U-125, U-126, U-128, U-129, U-130, U-134, U-135, U-154, U-155, U-159, U-161, U-163, U-164 (+), U-172, U-174, U-175, U-176, U-177, U-178, U-181, U-182 (+), U-183, U-185, U-203, U-211, U-212, U-214, U-217, U-221, U-225, U-257, U-301, U-336, U-356 (+), U-371, U-373, U-375, U-380, U-384, U-405, U-409, U-410, U-432, U-435, U-439, U-440, U-441, U-443, U-445, U-453, U-455, U-460, U-461, U-463, U-465, U-507 (+), U-508, U-513, U-514, U-515, U-518, U-519, U-524, U-552, U-553, U-561, U-562, U-563, U-564, U-565, U-569, U-591, U-592, U-593, U-600, U-602, U-604, U-609, U-610, U-615, U-618, U-620, U-621, U-623, U-626 (+), U-628, U-653, U-657, U-659, U-663, U-664, U-706, U-757, U-758, UD-3.
108 boats at sea.

1943

U-9, U-68, U-73 (+), U-92, U-103, U-107, U-129, U-154, U-155, U-170, U-178, U-190, U-193, U-219, U-223, U-228, U-230, U-269, U-270, U-275, U-277, U-284 (+), U-302, U-305 (+), U-311, U-354, U-358, U-364 (+), U-382, U-387, U-390, U-392, U-415, U-421, U-424, U-445, U-471, U-510, U-515, U-516, U-530, U-541, U-543, U-544 (+), U-545 (+), U-565, U-596, U-618, U-625, U-629, U-636, U-641 (+), U-653, U-667, U-672, U-734, U-741, U-744, U-761, U-801, U-843, U-846, U-850 (+), U-952, U-960, U-962, U-972 (+), U-976, U-981.
69 boats at sea.

1944

U-181, U-195, U-244, U-248 (+), U-278, U-286, U-293, U-295, U-296, U-299, U-310, U-313, U-318, U-322 (+), U-325, U-396, U-400 (+), U-427, U-481, U-485, U-486, U-636, U-637, U-650 (+), U-668, U-679 (+), U-680, U-722, U-737 (+), U-772 (+), U-773, U-775, U-806, U-843, U-862, U-869 (+), U-870, U-877 (+), U-905, U-956, U-958, U-965, U-978, U-979, U-991, U-995, U-997, U-1003, U-1009, U-1020 (+), U-1053, U-1055, U-1163, U-1202, U-1209 (+), U-1223, U-1227, U-1228, U-1230, U-1231, U-1232.
61 boats at sea.

1942

British codebreakers cracked the Shark cipher (KM: Triton) used by the 4-wheel Enigma machine. This restored the strategic advantage in the Battle of the Atlantic to the Allies, following the success of new Wolfpack tactics. The BdU habit of transmitting orders at the start of patrols meant the Wolfpacks could be countered.

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