Ships hit by U-boats


USS Fechteler (DE 157)

American Destroyer escort



USS Fechteler on 1 July 1943 while being commissioned

NameUSS Fechteler (DE 157)
Type:Destroyer escort (Buckley)
Tonnage1,300 tons
Completed1943 - Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth VA 
OwnerUnited States Navy 
Homeport 
Date of attack5 May 1944Nationality:      American
 
FateSunk by U-967 (Albrecht Brandi)
Position36° 07'N, 2° 40'W - Grid CH 7542
Complement216 officers and men (29 dead and 187 survivors).
ConvoyGUS-38
RouteBizerte, Tunisia - Hampton Roads 
Cargo 
History USS Fechteler (DE 157) recieved one battle star for her four transatlantic voyages. 
Notes on event

At 03.54 hours on 5 May 1944, U-967 fired a Gnat at convoy GUS-38 about 120 miles northwest of Oran, Algeria and reported a hit on a medium-sized ship after 11 minutes 58 seconds, but this was probably an end-of-run detonation. USS Laning (DE 159) located the U-boat after the unsuccessful attack and started an attack run, but U-967 fired a Gnat at the escort ships at 04.41 hours, hitting USS Fechteler (DE 157) (Lt C.B. Gill, USN) amidships. The explosion lifted the ship out of the water and broke her in two. The most crew members abandoned ship before both parts sank. One officer and 26 ratings were lost. The commander, nine officers and 126 ratings were picked up by USS Laning and taken to Gibraltar, while 53 ratings were rescued by HMS Hengist (W 110). 26 survivors had been injured and two of them died of wounds in the days after the sinking.

 
More infoMore on this vessel 
On boardWe have details of 216 people who were on board


If you can help us with any additional information on this vessel then please contact us.

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)

Return to Allied Ships hit by U-boats



As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.