List of all U-boats
U-221
Type | VIIC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 15 Aug 1940 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 16 Jun 1941 | F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 651) | ||||||||
| Launched | 14 Mar 1942 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 9 May 1942 | Oblt. Hans-Hartwig Trojer | ||||||||
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| Career 5 patrols |
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| Successes | 11 ships sunk, total tonnage 69,589 GRT 10 warships sunk, total tonnage 759 tons (lost aboard transport ships) 1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,197 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk 27 Sept, 1943 south-west of Ireland, in approximate position 47.00N, 18.00W, by depth charges from a British Handley Page Halifax aircraft (Sqdn 58/B). 50 dead (all hands lost). | |||||||||
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Wolfpack operations
U-221 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Pfeil (12 Sep 1942 - 22 Sep 1942)
Blitz (22 Sep 1942 - 26 Sep 1942)
Tiger (26 Sep 1942 - 30 Sep 1942)
Wotan (5 Oct 1942 - 18 Oct 1942)
Draufgänger (29 Nov 1942 - 9 Dec 1942)
Neuland (8 Mar 1943 - 13 Mar 1943)
Dränger (14 Mar 1943 - 20 Mar 1943)
Drossel (11 May 1943 - 15 May 1943)
Oder (17 May 1943 - 19 May 1943)
Mosel (19 May 1943 - 24 May 1943)
Trutz (1 Jun 1943 - 16 Jun 1943)
Trutz 3 (16 Jun 1943 - 29 Jun 1943)
Attacks on this boat
11 Mar 1943
After sinking 2 ships and damaging another from convoy HX 228, the escorts attacked U-221 with 6 depth charges, causing serious damage. The boat was forced to break off the action to make repairs at sea. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 255)
27 Sep 1943
The sinking of U-221
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Halifax HR982 (58 Sqdn RAF/B, pilot F/O E.L. Hartley)
17.13 hours, southwest of Ireland: U-221 was attacked at low level by the Halifax, straddled with 8 depth charges, and was seen to sink by the stern. The aircraft was hit by flak, and a fire in the starboard wing forced the pilot to ditch about 3 miles from the attack position. Two gunners were lost, but the remaining six crewmen survived and were rescued after 11 days by HMS Mahratta.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)2 recorded attacks on this boat.
General notes on this boat
8 Dec 1942. The boat accidentally rammed U-254 (Kptlt. Hans Gilardone) while the boats were on convoy operations in the North Atlantic. U-254 went down immediately with all but 4 of her crew (41 dead, including the commander). U-221 herself was seriously damaged and unable to dive. Trojer aborted patrol and made for St. Nazaire, France, reaching base on 23 Dec. Trojer was absolved of any blame for the accident.
21 Mar 1943. On 21 March, 1943 one of the crew captured from the motor merchant Jamaica jumped overboard during an alarm excercise in the North Atlantic, either trying to escape or to commit suicide.
Men lost from the boat
21 Mar 1943
A captured seaman from the motor merchant ´Jamaica´, which was sunk two weeks earlier, jumped overboard.
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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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Media links
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