U-503

Type

IXC

 
Ordered25 Sep 1939
Laid down29 Apr 1940 Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 293)
Launched5 Apr 1941
Commissioned10 Jul 1941Kptlt. Otto Gericke
Commanders
10 Jul 1941 - 15 Mar 1942   Otto Gericke
Career
1 patrol
10 Jul 1941-1 Feb 1942  2. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1942-15 Mar 1942  2. Flottille (front boat)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk 15 March, 1942 in the North Atlantic south-east of Newfoundland, in position 45.50N, 48.50W, by depth charges from a US Hudson aircraft (Sqdn VP-82). 51 dead (all hands lost).

View the 1 war patrol

Attacks on this boat

15 Mar 1942
The sinking of U-503 The boat was bombed and sunk by a PBO-1 Hudson (VP-82 USN, pilot CPO Donald F. Mason, DFC, USNR) from Argentia escorting the convoy ON-72 south-east of Newfoundland. The PBO-1 Hudsons were 20 Hudson Mk.IIIA diverted from Lend-Lease to equip the VP-82 USN, which sank the first two U-boats sunk by US forces, U-656 on 1 March and U-503 on 15 March 1942.

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-503 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.
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.