U-737
Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||
| Ordered | 10 Apr 1941 | |||||||||||||
| Laid down | 14 Feb 1942 | F Schichau GmbH, Danzig (werk 1534) | ||||||||||||
| Launched | 21 Nov 1942 | |||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 30 Jan 1943 | Ltnt. Wolfgang Poeschel | ||||||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 9 patrols |
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| Successes | No ships sunk or damaged | |||||||||||||
| Fate | Sank at 0050hrs on 19 Dec, 1944 in the Vestfjorden, in position 68.09N, 15.39E, after a collision with MRS 25. 31 dead and 20 survivors. | |||||||||||||
Wolfpack operations
U-737 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Monsun (4 Oct 1943 - 22 Oct 1943)
Isegrim (16 Jan 1944 - 27 Jan 1944)
Werwolf (27 Jan 1944 - 9 Feb 1944)
Taifun (5 Mar 1944 - 7 Mar 1944)
Trutz (2 Jun 1944 - 6 Jun 1944)
Feuer (17 Sep 1944 - 19 Sep 1944)
Grimm (24 Sep 1944 - 2 Oct 1944)
Panther (16 Oct 1944 - 23 Oct 1944)
Attacks on this boat
9 Oct 1943
The boat was attacked by shore-based artillery off Barentsburg (Spitsbergen), but managed to dive and did not sustain any damage.
6 Mar 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:
British Liberator Mk.V BZ764 (120 Sqdn RAF/B, pilot F/L Harold F. Kerrigan, RCAF)
The aircraft had located U-737 with radar west of the Lofoten Islands but was hit by AA fire during the initial approach, setting the right outer engine on fire. Nevertheless six depth charges were dropped on the crash-diving U-boat that detonated as close as 10 meters, forcing it to resurface immediately. The Liberator attacked again, but sustained several hits in the intense AA fire - one round hit the nose wounding both navigators and disabling the bomb sight and release gear, so no more depth charges could be dropped. The aircrew managed to put out the fire and jettisoned the remaining weapons. One of the wounded navigators led the aircraft to Skitten, Scotland where the Liberator made a belly landing on two engines and was written off. The pilot was later awarded the DSO and the navigator the DFC for their actions. The damages forced the U-boat to abort the patrol.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)22 Oct 1944
The boat was attacked in the Arctic Sea by a Soviet aircraft. Three crew members were injured and the boat suffered slight damage.
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-737 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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