List of all U-boats

U-172

Type

IXC

 
Ordered23 Dec 1939
Laid down11 Dec 1940 AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1012)
Launched31 Jul 1941
Commissioned5 Nov 1941Kptlt. Carl Emmermann (Oak Leaves)
Commanders
5 Nov 1941 - 31 Oct 1943  Kptlt. Carl Emmermann (Knights Cross)
1 Nov 1943 - 13 Dec 1943  Oblt. Hermann Hoffmann
Career
6 patrols
5 Nov 1941-30 Apr 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 May 1942-13 Dec 1943  10. Flottille (active service)
Successes26 ships sunk, total tonnage 152,080 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 13 December 1943, after a hunt of 27 hours, in the Atlantic west of Canary Islands, in position 26.29N, 29.58W, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19 USN) of the US escort carrier USS Bogue and by some 200 depth charges from the US destroyers USS George E. Badger, USS Clemson, USS Osmond Ingram and USS Du Pont. 13 dead and 46 survivors.

Loss position

See the 26 ships hit by U-172 - View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-172 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Eisbär (25 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942)
   Unverzagt (12 Mar 1943 - 17 Mar 1943)
   Seeräuber (25 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

8 Oct 1942
The boat was depth charged by the British corvette HMS Rock Rose but suffered only slight damage.

10 Oct 1942
At 13.01 hours, the boat was at periscope depth just after sinking the Orcades when an aircraft dropped three depth charges. No damage was caused, but U-172 had to leave the area submerged without questioning the survivors.

28 Mar 1943
In an attack by Wolfpack Seeräuber (Pirate) on the small convoy RS 3, three ships were sunk and 3 U-boats (of 8) seriously damaged, one of which was U-172. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)

7 Apr 1943
The boat was attacked by two B-24 Liberator bombers (USAAF Sqdn 1) which dropped 12 depth charges. U-172 stayed on the surface and fought it out without being damaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)

11 Aug 1943
An unidentified aircraft attacked U-172 while the boat was rescuing the crew of U-604 following her scuttling. One man from U-172 was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]

5 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

11 Aug 1943
An unidentified aircraft attacked U-172 while the boat was rescuing the crew of U-604 following her scuttling. One man from U-172 was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 3 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Neptune / Poseidon

187843, Cross and Leaves

Motorex (tanker)

Media links


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

Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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