U-183

Type

IXC/40

Ordered

15 Aug, 1940

Laid down

28 May, 1941

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1023)

Launched

9 Jan, 1942

Commissioned

1 Apr, 1942

Korvkpt. Heinrich Schäfer

Commanders

1 Apr, 1942 - 19 Nov, 1943	Heinrich Schäfer
20 Nov, 1943 - 23 Apr, 1945	Kptlt. Fritz Schneewind

Career

6 patrols

1 Apr, 1942 - 30 Sep, 1942  4. Flottille (training)
1 Oct, 1942 - 30 Sep, 1944  2. Flottille (front boat)
1 Oct, 1944 - 23 Apr, 1945  33. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

4 ships sunk for a total of 19.260 GRT
1 ship a total loss for a total of 6.993 GRT

Fate

Sunk at 1300 hrs on 23 April, 1945 in the Java Sea, in position 04.50S, 112.52E, by a torpedo from the US submarine USS Besugo 54 dead and 1 survivor

See the 5 ships hit by U-183 - View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-183 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Hartherz (4 Feb, 1943 - 7 Feb, 1943)

General notes on this boat

* Fritz Schneewind was born on 10 April, 1917 in Padang/Sumatra. Thus, his life ended in the same region it began.

U-183 was one of the Monsun boats that patrolled in the Far East.

Men lost from the boat

13 May, 1944
One man was killed in an accident working in a diving cell while preparing for its next patrol in the Far East. The boat left for the patrol from Penang on 17 May. [Obermaschinenmaat Erich Adelsheimer]

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