U-378

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered16 Oct 1939
Laid down3 May 1940 Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel (werk 9)
Launched13 Sep 1941
Commissioned30 Oct 1941Kptlt. Alfred Hoschatt
Commanders
30 Oct 1941 - 11 Oct 1942   Alfred Hoschatt
18 Jun 1942 - 10 Sep 1942  Oblt. Peter Schrewe
10 Sep 1942 - 11 Oct 1942  Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche (in deputize) -- acting
12 Oct 1942 - 20 Oct 1943  Kptlt. Erich Mäder
Career
8 patrols
30 Oct 1941-28 Feb 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1942-30 Jun 1942  3. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jul 1942-30 Apr 1943  11. Flottille (front boat)
1 May 1943-20 Oct 1943  3. Flottille (front boat)
Successes1 warship sunk for a total of 1,920 tons
Fate

Sunk 20 Oct, 1943 in the North Atlantic, in position 47.40N, 28.27W, by depth charges from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC 13) of the US escort carrier USS Core. 48 dead (all hands lost).

See the 1 ships hit by U-378 - View the 8 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-378 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Ziethen (23 Mar 1942 - 29 Mar 1942)
   Eiswolf (29 Mar 1942 - 31 Mar 1942)
   Robbenschlag (7 Apr 1942 - 14 Apr 1942)
   Blutrausch (15 Apr 1942 - 19 Apr 1942)
   Strauchritter (29 Apr 1942 - 5 May 1942)
   Trägertod (19 Sep 1942 - 22 Sep 1942)
   Boreas (19 Nov 1942 - 9 Dec 1942)
   Eisbär (27 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
   Meise (25 Apr 1943 - 27 Apr 1943)
   Star (27 Apr 1943 - 4 May 1943)
   Fink (4 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)
   Naab (12 May 1943 - 15 May 1943)
   Donau 2 (15 May 1943 - 19 May 1943)
   Mosel (19 May 1943 - 24 May 1943)
   Leuthen (15 Sep 1943 - 24 Sep 1943)
   Rossbach (24 Sep 1943 - 9 Oct 1943)

Attacks on this boat

29 Mar 1942
The attack by the British destroyer HMS Fury on 29 March, 1942 in position 72.15N, 34.22E believed to have sunk the U-585 was actually against the U-378 causing no damage. (Sources: 1977-01-01, Claude Huan)

13 Oct 1943
The boat was attacked by a Fido homing torpedo from an Avenger aircraft but the torpedo missed the boat. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 447)

2 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-378 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2
Wynn, Kenneth


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Books dealing with this subject include:

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
Niszcyciel Orp. Kondracki, Tadeusz, 1994.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.