List of all U-boats

U-171

Type

IXC

 
Ordered23 Dec 1939
Laid down1 Dec 1940 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1011)
Launched22 Jul 1941
Commissioned25 Oct 1941Oblt. Günther Pfeffer
Commanders
25 Oct 1941 - 9 Oct 1942  Kptlt. Günther Pfeffer
Career
1 patrol
25 Oct 1941-30 Jun 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 Jul 1942-9 Oct 1942  10. Flottille (front boat)
Successes3 ships sunk, total tonnage 17,641 GRT
Fate

Sunk at 1300hrs on 9 Oct, 1942 in the Bay of Biscay near Lorient, France, in position 47.39N, 03.34W, by mines. 22 dead and 30 survivors.

See the 3 ships hit by U-171 - View the 1 war patrol

The wreck of this boat has been discovered in position 47.39.532N, 03.34.778W.

Attacks on this boat

1 Aug 1942

Attack on 1 Aug, 1942, in the Gulf of Mexico, in position 28.37N, 90.45W, by a single depth charge from a US Grumman J4F-1 aircraft (USCG V-212/Y) was credited with sinking U-166.

This may have been an attack on U-171.

(Sources: 2001-06-01, uboat.net)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-171 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



Torpedoes in the Gulf

Wiggins, Melanie


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Books dealing with this subject include

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
Torpedoes in the Gulf. Wiggins, Melanie, 1995.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.