U-209

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Oct 1939

Laid down

28 Nov 1940

F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 638)

Launched

28 Aug 1941

Commissioned

11 Oct 1941

Kptlt. Heinrich Brodda

Commanders

11 Oct 1941

7 May 1943

Kptlt. Heinrich Brodda

Career
7 patrols

11 Oct 1941	-	28 Feb 1942	6. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1942	-	30 Jun 1942	6. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jul 1942	-	28 Feb 1943	11. Flottille (front boat)
1 Mar 1943	-	7 May 1943	1. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

4 ships sunk, total tonnage 1,356 GRT

Fate

Missing since 7 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic in approximate position 52N, 38W.

Possibly lost in an diving accident after damage suffered on 4 May in an attack by a Canadian Catalina aircraft (RCAF Sqdn NOS 5/W). 46 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, October 1991).

See the 4 ships hit by U-209 - View the 7 war patrols

The boat reported for the last time on 6 May, 1943 via its sister boat U-954 on how she had suffered extensive damage, including to its transmitter, and she was called back to base shortly afterwards. She was never heard from again.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk by the British frigate HMS Jed and the British sloop HMS Sennen on 19 May, 1943 in position 54.54N, 34.19W. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was in fact responsible for the sinking of U-954.

Wolfpack operations

U-209 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Ziethen (23 Mar 1942 - 29 Mar 1942)
   Eiswolf (29 Mar 1942 - 31 Mar 1942)
   Robbenschlag (7 Apr 1942 - 14 Apr 1942)
   Blutrausch (15 Apr 1942 - 15 Apr 1942)
   Greif (16 May 1942 - 29 May 1942)
   Boreas (19 Nov 1942 - 7 Dec 1942)
   Meise (25 Apr 1943 - 27 Apr 1943)
   Star (27 Apr 1943 - 4 May 1943)
   Fink (4 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)

Attacks on this boat

28 Mar 1942
At 07.04 hours, the boat was spotted by HMS Blackfly, escorting the Polish steam merchant Tobruk, a straggler from convoy PQ-13. The guns of the armed trawler were frozen and could not be used, but the U-boat crash dived and was attacked with two depth charges of which only one exploded. At 07.42 hours, U-209 missed the escort with a stern torpedo and was herself unsuccessfully attacked with two depth charges. Shortly afterwards they lost each other out of sight in a scurry of snow. (Sources: KTB U-209/ADM 237-164)

29 Mar 1942
At 11.03 hours, the boat crash dived after being spotted by HMS Hussar and HMS Gossamer in the Barents Sea. Both minesweepers carried out seven attacks until 12.44 hours, dropping 30 depth charges with difficulties as the traps were frozen. At the end of the hunt they heard two underwater detonations and claimed the sinking of the U-boat. However, U-209 managed to get away unnoticed after the first attacks which caused no damage. (Sources: KTB U-209/ADM 199-1782)

16 Apr 1943
The boat was attacked by a British Fortress aircraft (RAF Sqdn 220 / T) with 6 bombs southeast of Iceland. It suffered damage to the periscope. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

4 May 1943
The attack on 4 May, 1943 south of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 56.38N, 42.38W, by depth charges from a Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn. 5/W) formerly credited with sinking the U-630 was actually against U-209 inflicting severe damage. (Sources: 1991-10-01, FDS/NHB)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

9 Jul 1942
Two men were lost during an accident on the landing place in the harbor of Bergen, Norway. The boat went on its next patrol on 17 July. [Funkgefreiter Edmund Kiepulski, Funkgefreiter Alfons Kuklinski]

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