Type | VIID | |||||||||
| Ordered | 16 Feb 1940 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 30 Jan 1941 | F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 649) | ||||||||
| Launched | 15 Nov 1941 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 31 Jan 1942 | Oblt. Kurt Reichenbach-Klinke | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 3 patrols |
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| Successes | 3 ships sunk, total tonnage 10,651 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk 5 June, 1943 in the mid-Atlantic, in position 30.18N, 42.50W by depth charges from Avenger aircraft of the US escort carrier USS Bogue *. 50 dead (all hands lost). | |||||||||
Wolfpack operations
U-217 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Pirat (30 Jul 1942 - 3 Aug 1942)
Trutz (1 Jun 1943 - 5 Jun 1943)
Attacks on this boat
19 Aug 1942
Shortly after attacking the schooner Sea Gull D. with gunfire, U-217 was forced to dive by an aircraft which strafed the crash diving U-boat and dropped four depth charges at 21.30 hours. Soon thereafter two more aircraft arrived and one of them attacked the U-boat when she surfaced after about two hours, dropping three depth charges at 23.45 hours. U-217 was damaged in the air attacks, but could continue her patrol after carrying out repairs. (Sources: Ritschel)
1 recorded attack on this boat.
General notes on this boat
That was a successful 3 weeks for the USS Bogue! Two weeks before, 22 May, aircraft from the same escort carrier sank U-569 and one week after sinking U-217 she sank U-118 on 12 June.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-217 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
U-boat Emblems
We have 1 emblem entry for this boat! See the emblem page for this boat or view each one below.
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