U-359

Type

Sunk 26 July, 1943 in the Caribbean south of Santo Domingo, in position 18.06N, 75.00W, by depth charges from an American Mariner aircraft (VP Sqdn. 32, P-12). 47 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, December 1997).

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

Sunk on 28 July, 1943 by Mariner aircraft P-1 of USN Squadron VP-32. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack in fact sank the U-159.

Wolfpack operations

U-359 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Neptun (18 Feb 1943 - 28 Feb 1943)
   Wildfang (28 Feb 1943 - 5 Mar 1943)
   Westmark (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
   Amsel (26 Apr 1943 - 3 May 1943)
   Amsel 4 (3 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)
   Rhein (7 May 1943 - 10 May 1943)
   Elbe 2 (10 May 1943 - 12 May 1943)

Attacks on this boat

3 Jul 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American B-24 Liberator (1st A/S Sqdn USAAF, pilot 1Lt H.W. Fraser)

Approx. 18.15 hrs, west of Oporto, Portugal: U-359 and U-466 both fired at the aircraft as it strafed them, and 3 bombs fell between the boats before they dived and escaped undamaged at 18.26 hours. The Germans had observed AA hits on the bomber and it apparently crashed shortly after the attack, killing the entire crew of 10.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

1 recorded attack 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-359 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.