List of all U-boats

U-989

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered25 May 1941
Laid down17 Oct 1942 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 189)
Launched16 Jun 1943
Commissioned22 Jul 1943Oblt. Hardo Rodler von Roithberg
Commanders
22 Jul 1943 - 14 Feb 1945  Kptlt. Hardo Rodler von Roithberg
Career
5 patrols
22 Jul 1943-31 Jan 1944  5. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1944-30 Sep 1944  9. Flottille (front boat)
1 Oct 1944-14 Feb 1945  33. Flottille (front boat)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,791 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 7,176 GRT
Fate

Sunk 14 Feb, 1945 in the Northern Sea at the Faeroe Islands, in position 61.36N, 01.35W by depth charges from the British frigates HMS Bayntun, HMS Bratwaite, HMS Loch Eck and HMS Loch Dunvegan. 47 dead (all hands lost).

See the 2 ships hit by U-989 - View the 5 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-989 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Stürmer (26 Jan 1944 - 3 Feb 1944)
   Igel 1 (3 Feb 1944 - 17 Feb 1944)
   Hai 1 (17 Feb 1944 - 22 Feb 1944)

Attacks on this boat

7 Jun 1944
A British Leigh-light equipped Wellington aircraft (Sqdn 179, pilot W. J. Hill) attacked the boat causing damage. A B-24 Liberator and flight of Mosquito aircraft also took place in the attacks which wounded the U-boat commander and forced the boat to return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 583)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

General notes on this boat

14 Feb 1945. When U-989 was sunk 2 men managed to escape from the boat. They both died reaching the surface, presumably from escaping the boat too deep. One of the men was the commander, von Roithberg. He died on his 27th birthday.

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.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-989 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay


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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.