U-869

Type

IXC/40

Ordered

25 Aug, 1941

Laid down

5 Apr, 1943

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1077)

Launched

5 Oct, 1943

Commissioned

26 Jan, 1944

Kptlt. Hellmut Neuerburg

Commanders

26 Jan, 1944 - 11 Feb, 1945

Kptlt. Hellmut Neuerburg

Career

1 patrol

26 Jan, 1944 - 30 Nov, 1944 4. Flottille (training)
1 Dec, 1944 - 11 Feb, 1945 33. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

The boat was sunk on Feb 11, 1945 off New Jersey, USA in position 39.33N, 73.02W by Hedgehogs and depth charges from the American destroyer escorts USS Howard D. Crow and USS Koiner. 56 dead (all hands lost).

View the 1 war patrol

The boat was sunk near convoy CU 58 off New Jersey.

The fate for this boat was revised once again, probably for the last time, in June 2005. Read more about it here on the US Coast Guard site.

U-869 is confirmed as the mysterious "U-Who"

A German U-boat was found off the coast of New Jersey, USA on 2 Sept, 1991 by several divers. On 31 August, 1997 these same divers reported evidence that the boat they found is the U-869 (knife inscribed with a U-869 crew member's name, UZO torpedo aiming device, machinery-numbers from the engine room). This location is at 39.33N, 73.20W in about 230 feet (around 73m) of water. She is thus a very advanced dive site.

This location is extremely far from the Gibraltar area which the U-869 is claimed to have been sunk in (see the red X for the old estimated position). The explanation is that the boat never received the orders from BdU to change its operational area to Gibraltar and thus stayed in its North American area after passing through the Straits of Denmark. According to this the boat was lost in February 1945.

Previously recorded fate (Last revised by US Coast Guard during June 2005). More on revised fates

Sunk 28 Feb, 1945 in the mid-Atlantic near Rabat, in position 34.30N, 08.13W, by depth charges from the US destroyer escort USS Fowler (DE 222) and the French submarine chaser L'Indiscret.

This attack was probably not against a submarine.

Another theory regarding the boat's fate off the US coast was a circular torpedo that accidentaly hit the boat. The Coast Guard explanation above is much more convincing.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in October 1944. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Annoucements related to this boat

U-869's final fate discovered (23 Jul, 2005)
U-869 memorial dive (5 Aug, 2001)
U-Who confirmed as U-869? (7 May, 1998)
U-869 located of New Jersey? (11 Nov, 1997)

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-869 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.