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{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}
{{Redirect|U-221|the isotope of uranium (U-221 or <sup>221</sup>U)|Uranium-221}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
Line 26 ⟶ 28:
|Ship class=[[German Type VII submarine#Type VIIC|Type VIIC]] [[submarine]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length=
Line 43 ⟶ 45:
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[Motor-generator|electric motors]]
|shipShip speed=
*{{convert|17.7|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
*{{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged
Line 57 ⟶ 59:
|Ship armament=
*5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (four bow, one stern)
*14 × [[torpedo]]es ''or'' 26 TMA mines[[Naval mine|mine]]s
*1 × [[8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} deck gun]] (220 rounds)
*1 x [[2 cm FlaK 30|{{convert|2|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] AA gun
*various AA guns
|Ship notes=
}}
Line 67 ⟶ 69:
|partof=
*[[5th U-boat Flotilla]]
*9 May – 31 August 1942
*[[7th U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 September 1942 – 27 September 1943
|codes=M 45 566
|commanders=
*''[[Kptlt.]]'' [[Hans-Hartwig Trojer]]
*9 May 1942 – 27 September 1943
|operations=*5 patrols:
*Five1st patrolspatrol:
*1st patrol: 3 September – 22 October 1942
*2nd patrol:
*23 November – 23 December 1942
*3rd patrol:
*27 February – 28 March 1943
*4th patrol:
*3 May – 2721 July 1943
*5th patrol:
*20 20–27– 27 September 1943
|victories=*11 commercialmerchant vesselsships sunk <br />({{GRT|6569,589}})
*10 warships sunk <br />(759 tons)
*1 merchant ship damaged <br />({{GRT|7,197}})
}}
|}
Line 89 ⟶ 97:
Ordered on 15 August 1940 from the [[Germaniawerft]] shipyard in [[Kiel]], she was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 16 June 1941 as yard number 651, [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 14 March 1942 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 9 May 1942 under the command of ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' [[Hans-Hartwig Trojer]].
 
A member of twelve [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]]s, she sank a total of elevenTwenty one ships for a total of {{GRT|6569,589|disp=long}} and 759 tons in five patrols. In addition, itshe sunkdamaged one ship with a total tonnage of 7,197 GRT.
10 warships with a total tonnage 759 tons and damaged one ship with a total tonnage of 7,197 GRT. http://uboat.net/boats/u221.htm
 
==Design==
[[German Type VII submarine#Type VIIC|German Type VIIC submarines]] were preceded by the shorter [[German Type VII submarine#Type VIIB|Type VIIB submarines]]. ''U-221'' had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[pressure hull]] length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a [[draught (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two [[Germaniawerft]] F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder [[supercharged]] [[diesel engine]]s producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two [[AEG (German company)|AEG]] GU 460/8–27 [[Motor–generator|double-acting electric motors]] producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[propeller]]s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
 
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. ''U-221'' was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen [[torpedo]]es, one [[8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun|{{convert|8.8|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} SK C/35 naval gun]], 220 rounds, and ana [[2 cm FlaK 30|{{convert|2|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a [[Ship's company|complement]] of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}
 
==Service history==
Line 101 ⟶ 108:
''U-221'' is also credited with the destruction of ten allied landing craft (nine [[Landing Craft Mechanized|LCM]]s and one [[Landing Craft Tank|LCT]]) that were lost aboard the British merchantman ''Southern Empress'' when that vessel was torpedoed and sunk on 14 October 1942.
 
==1stFirst patrol==
 
''U-221'' departed [[Kristiansand]] on 3 September 1942 having moved to the Norwegian port a day earlier. Her route took her through the [[GIUK gap|gap]] between [[Iceland]] and the [[Faroe Islands]]. She claimed her first victim, ''Fagersten'', about {{convert|500|nmi|abbr=on}} east of the [[Belle Isle Strait]], in [[Newfoundland (island)|Newfoundland]] on 13 October. In the same attack, she sank ''Ashworth'' and ''Senta''. There were no survivors from either vessel.
Line 109 ⟶ 116:
''U-221'' docked in [[St Nazaire]] on 22 October.
 
==2ndSecond patrol==
 
The boat's second foray was one of anti-climax and tragedy. Although she scoured the Atlantic west of Ireland, she failed to find any targets. On 8 December ''U-221'' and {{GS|U-254||2}} collided in heavy fog, resulting in the loss of the latter boat. ''U-221'' was badly damaged. Unable to dive, ''[[Oberleutnant zur See]]'' Trojer aborted the patrol and returned to St. Nazaire.
 
==3rdThird patrol==
 
Her third sortie was more fruitful. The ''Jamaica'' was destroyed on 7 March 1943. This ship took just two minutes to findsink. aAs waterysurvivors gravetook to the boats, followedTrojer bysurfaced and took the ship's 4th Engineer prisoner, but on March 21, the man, during an exercise period, jumped overboard and was lost.<ref name="Harmes">{{cite book |last=Franks |first=Norman L.R.|date=1997 |title=Dark sky, deep water |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=M74hAQAAIAAJ&q=U-373+%C2%A0nielsen+liberator |location=[[Lanham, Maryland]] |publisher=[[Rowman & Littlefield]] |page=94 |isbn= 978-1442232853 |access-date=6 August 2023 }}</ref> The boat sank ''Tucurina'' on the 10thtenth, southeast of [[Cape Farewell, Greenland|Cape Farewell]], ([[Greenland]]). In the same attack, the U-boat sank ''Andrea F. Luckenbach'' and damaged [[{{SS|Lawton B. Evans]]}} (probably due to a dud torpedo).
 
Retribution was swift; the convoy's escorts from [[List of World War II convoys|HX- 228]] caused serioussome damage to ''U-221''. Repairs were carried out at sea, enabling the boat to sink two more ships on 18 March; ''Canadian Star'' and ''Walter Q. Gresham'' were added to her list of 'kills'.
 
==4thFourth patrol==
 
''U-221'' only sank one ship on this patrol, ''Sandanger''; the survivors had a remarkable escape. Occupying the only intact lifeboat, they found themselves in an area of low pressure created by the ship's burning fuel cargo. The flames were split in two by strong winds which also kept them above the men's heads by only a few feet as they rowed clear of the location.
 
==5thFifth patrol and loss==
 
''U-221'' left St. Nazaire for the last time on 20 September 1943. On the 27th she was attacked by a [[Handley Page Halifax]] of [[No. 58 Squadron RAF]] with eight [[depth charge]]s southwest of Ireland. The U-boat was seen to sink by the stern but the aircraft was also hit, forcing the pilot to ditch about three miles from the encounter. Two gunners from the Halifax were lost; the U-boat was sunk with all hands (50 men).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u221.html |title=The Type VIIC boat U-221 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=9 December 2014}}</ref>{{sfn|Kemp|1999|p=147}}
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u221.html
|title=The Type VIIC boat U-221
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|accessdate=9 December 2014
}}</ref>{{sfn|Kemp|1999|p=147}}
 
===Wolfpacks===
''U-221'' took part in twelve [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]]s, namely.:
* [[Wolfpack Pfeil|Pfeil]] (12–2212 – 22 September 1942)
* Blitz (22–2622 – 26 September 1942)
* Tiger (26–3026 – 30 September 1942)
* Wotan (5–185 – 18 October 1942)
* Draufgänger (29 November - 9 December 1942)
* Neuland (8–138 – 13 March 1943)
* [[Wolfpack Dränger|Dränger]] (14–2014 – 20 March 1943)
* Drossel (11–1511 – 15 May 1943)
* Oder (17–1917 – 19 May 1943)
* Mosel (19–2419 – 24 May 1943)
* Trutz (1–161 – 16 June 1943)
* Trutz 3 (16–2916 – 29 June 1943)
 
==Summary of raiding history==
Line 154:
! Name
! Nationality
! Tonnage<ref group="Note" name="tonnage">Merchant ship tonnages are in [[gross register tons]]. Military vessels are listed by tons [[displacement (ship)|displacement]].</ref>
! Fate<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u221.html
|title=Ships hit by U-221
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=26 December 2014
}}</ref>
|-
|align="rightleft"|13 October 1942
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#13 October|Ashworth]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="rightleft"|5,227||Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|13 October 1942
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#13 October|Fagersten]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="rightleft"|2,342||Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|13 October 1942
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#13 October|Senta]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="rightleft"|3,785
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |HMS ''LCM-508[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|Southern Empress]]''*
|align="left" |{{navyflag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="rightleft"|5212,398
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-508'']]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT">Carried by "Southern Empress".</ref>
|align="left" |HMS ''LCM-509''*
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-519509''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-522519''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-523522''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-532523''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-537532''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-547537''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCM-620547''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |52
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|HMS ''LCTLCM-2006620''*]]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="rightleft" |29152
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|SouthernHMS Empress]]''LCT-2006'']]<ref group="Note" name="LCMT"/>
|align="left" |{{flagnavy|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="rightleft" |12,398291
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|14 October 1942
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in October 1942#14 October|Susana]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="rightleft"|5,929
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|7 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#7 March|Jamaica]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="rightleft"|3,015
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|10 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#10 March|Andrea F. Luckenbach]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="rightleft"|6,565
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|10 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[{{SS |Lawton B. Evans]]''||2}}
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="rightleft"|7,197
|align="left" |Damaged
|-
|align="rightleft"|10 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#10 March|Tucurinca]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="rightleft"|5,412
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|18 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#18 March|Canadian Star]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="rightleft"|8,293
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|18 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#18 March|Walter Q. Gresham]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="rightleft"|7,191
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="rightleft"|18 March 1943
|align="left" |''[[List of shipwrecks in March 1943#18 March|Sandanger]]''
|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="rightleft"|9,432
|align="left" |Sunk
|}
 
<nowiki>*</nowiki> Being carried aboard ''Southern Empress''
 
==See also==
*{{GS|U-254}}
 
==References==
Line 299 ⟶ 304:
 
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}
 
==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{citeCite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary |last2=Röll publisher|first2=Hans-Joachim |publisher= Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 |location=London, refAnnapolis, Md |translator-last=Brooks |translator-first=Geoffrey harv}}
*{{Cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |series=Der U-Boot-Krieg |publisher=Mittler |year=1999 |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |volume=IV |location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |language=German |trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 }}
*{{cite book
*{{Cite book |last=Edwards |first=Bernard |title=Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War |publisher=Cassell Military Classics |year=1996 |isbn=0-304-35203-9 |pages=132, 173, 208 |ref={{sfnRef|Edwards}}}}
|last1=Busch
*{{Cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Erich |title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |series=German Warships 1815–1945 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |year=1991 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |volume=2 |location=London |translator-last=Thomas |translator-first=Keith |ref=CITEREFGröner1991 |translator-last2=Magowan |translator-first2=Rachel}}
|first1=Rainer
*{{Cite book |last=Kemp |first=Paul |title=U-boats destroyed : German submarine losses in the World Wars |date=1999 |publisher=Arms & Armour |isbn=1-85409-515-3 |location=London |oclc=43972253 }}
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|work=Der U-Boot-Krieg
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=German
|ref=harv
}}
*{{cite book
|last=Edwards
|first=Bernard
|title=Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War
|year=1996
|isbn=0-304-35203-9
|pages=132, 173, 208
|publisher=Cassell Military Classics
|ref={{sfnRef|Edwards}}
}}
*{{cite book
|last1=Gröner
|first1=Erich
|author-link1=
|author-mask1=
|last2=Jung
|first2=Dieter
|display-authors=
|last-author-amp=
|last3=Maass
|first3=Martin
|translator-last1=Thomas
|translator-first1=Keith
|translator-last2=Magowan
|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|work=German Warships 1815–1945
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGr.C3.B6ner1991
}}
*{{cite book
|last=Kemp
|first=Paul
|title=U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars
|year=1997
|publisher=Arms & Armour
|isbn=1-85409-515-3
|ref=harv
}}
 
{{Refend}}
 
==External links==
*{{Cite web |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u221.html |title=The Type VIIC boat U-221 |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net |access-date=9 December 2014}}
*{{Cite web
*{{Cite web |url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0221.html |title=''U 221'' |last=Hofmann |first=Markus |website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de |language=German |access-date=26 December 2014}}
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u221.html
|title=The Type VIIC boat U-221
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|accessdate=9 December 2014
}}
*{{cite web
|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0221.html
|title=''U 221''
|last=Hofmann
|first=Markus
|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de
|language=German
|accessdate=26 December 2014
}}
 
{{German Type VII submarines}}
{{September 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{Subject bar
| portal1=Military of Germany
| portal2=Submarine
| portal3=World War II
}}
 
{{coord|47|0|N|18|0|EW|display=title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
 
Line 406 ⟶ 336:
[[Category:Ships built in Kiel]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk by depth charges]]
[[Category:ShipsSubmarines lost with all hands]]
[[Category:U-boat accidents]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1943]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-221"