U-332

Type

VIIC

Ordered

23 Sep 1939

Laid down

16 Dec 1939

Nordseewerke, Emden (werk 204)

Launched

22 Mar 1941

Commissioned

7 Jun 1941

Kptlt. Johannes Liebe

Commanders

7 Jun 1941	-	27 Jan 1943		Kptlt. Johannes Liebe
27 Jan 1943	-	29 Apr 1943		Oblt. Eberhard Hüttemann

Career
7 patrols

7 Jun 1941	-	1 Oct 1941	3. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1941	-	29 Apr 1943	3. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

8 ships sunk, total tonnage 46,729 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,964 GRT

Fate

Sunk 29 April, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north of Cape Finisterre, Spain, in position 45.08N, 09.33W, by depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 224/D). 45 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, November 1989).

See the 9 ships hit by U-332 - View the 7 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 2 May, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north of Cape Finisterre, Spain, in position 44.48N, 08.58W, by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn 461/M). (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack accounted for the loss of U-465.

Wolfpack operations

U-332 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Störtebecker (17 Nov 1941 - 19 Nov 1941)
   Benecke (19 Nov 1941 - 2 Dec 1941)
   Hartherz (3 Feb 1943 - 7 Feb 1943)
   Ritter (11 Feb 1943 - 23 Feb 1943)
   Sturmbock (23 Feb 1943 - 26 Feb 1943)
   Burggraf (2 Mar 1943 - 5 Mar 1943)
   Westmark (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
   Drossel (29 Apr 1943 - 29 Apr 1943)

Attacks on this boat

6 Dec 1941
The boat was bombed by a British Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 202, pilot Hugh Garnell) but suffered little damage. The pilot brought in surface hunters but the U-boat managed to slip past them. The boat would be attacked again 3 days later. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 402)

9 Dec 1941
The boat was severely damaged by a British aircraft and forced to abort to France. This was the second aircraft attack on the boat in 3 days. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 402)

21 Mar 1943
The boat was attacked by a British Leight-light Wellington bomber (Sqdn 172, pilot I. D. Prebble) and seriously damaged, left unable to dive. Asking for assistance Luftwaffe sent 4 Ju88 bombers to escort him in but they were attacked by British Beufighters and shot down (2) or driven off (2). Meanwhile the boat was repaired enough to dive to shallow depths and managed to return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 267)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-332 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II
Blair, Clay