U-181
Type | IXD2 | |||||
| Ordered | 15 Aug, 1940 | |||||
| Laid down | 15 Mar, 1941 | AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1021) | ||||
| Launched | 30 Dec, 1941 | |||||
| Commissioned | 9 May, 1942 | Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth (Knights Cross) | ||||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 4 patrols | 9 May, 1942 - 30 Sep, 1942 4. Flottille (training) 1 Oct, 1942 - 31 Oct, 1942 10. Flottille (front boat) 1 Nov, 1942 - 30 Sep, 1944 12. Flottille (front boat) 1 Oct, 1944 - 8 May, 1945 33. Flottille (front boat) | ||||
| Successes | 27 ships sunk for a total of 138.779 GRT | |||||
| Fate | Taken over by Japan at Singapore in May 1945 and became the Japanese submarine I 501 on 15 July 1945. | |||||
See the 27 ships hit by U-181 - View the 4 war patrols
The japanese I 501 Surrendered in Singapore in August 1945. The boat was scuttled there on 12 Feb, 1946.
Men lost from the boat
11 Apr, 1943
The new 37mm anti-aircraft cannon on U-181 exploded in action while on patrol in the South Atlantic killing one man and wounding two more. [Matrosengefreiter Wilhelm Williger]
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
 Shooting the War Giese, Otto and Wise, Capt. James E. Jr. (Ret.) Buy this title at amazon.co.uk See more sellers |
Books dealing with this subject include: Boarding Party, Leasor, James, 1995 German U-Boat Losses During World War II, Niestle, Axel, 1998 Shooting the War, Giese, Otto and Wise, Capt. James E. Jr. (Ret.), 1994  Tiger der Meere, Schulz, Joh., U-Boat Ace: The Story of Wolfgang Lüth, Vause, Jordan, 2001 (transl.) 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 |