List of all U-boats

U-332

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered23 Sep 1939
Laid down16 Dec 1939 Nordseewerke, Emden (werk 204)
Launched22 Mar 1941
Commissioned7 Jun 1941Kptlt. 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 (active service)
Successes8 ships sunk, total tonnage 46,729 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,964 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 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 (224 Sqn RAF/D). 45 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, November 1989).

Loss position

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 and other events

6 Dec 1941
U-332 was bombed by a British Catalina flying boat (Sqdn 202, pilot Hugh Garnell) but suffered little damage. The pilot brought in ASW craft but the U-boat managed to slip past them. The boat would be attacked again three days later. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 402)

9 Dec 1941
Severe damage from an attack by a British aircraft forced U-332 to return to France. This was the second aircraft attack in three days. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 402)

21 Mar 1943
The boat was attacked by a British Leigh Light Wellington bomber (Sqdn 172, pilot I. D. Prebble) north of Corunna, Spain and left unable to dive. A request for assistance from the Luftwaffe brought four Ju 88 bombers to escort U-332 in, but they were attacked by British Beaufighters, two being shot down and the others driven off. This nonetheless gave the crew of U-332 time to make repairs to allow shallow diving, allowing her to return to base at La Pallice. (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.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Coat of Arms of Heidelberg

Media links


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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