German submarine U-752

German submarine U-752 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-752
Ordered: 9 October 1939
Builder: Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven
Laid down: 5 January 1940
Launched: 29 March 1941
Commissioned: 24 May 1941
Status: Scuttled 23 May 1943 after air rocket attack in North Atlantic
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power:
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
Operations: 9 patrols
Victories:
  • 6 commercial ships sunk for a total of (32,358 GRT)
  • 1 commercial ship damaged (4,799 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk (1,134 tons)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-752 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[1] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-752 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[1]

Service history

She served with 3rd U-boat Flotilla from 24 May 1941 to 23 May 1943 under the command of Karl-Ernst Schroeter.[2] U-752 completed nine[3] wartime patrols and sank eight ships and damaged one.

Fate

Thirty-two days into her ninth patrol, on 23 May 1943, U-752 was attacked by Fairey Swordfish aircraft attached to the British escort carrier HMS Archer in the mid-Atlantic. A Rocket Spear, a new weapon with a solid cast iron head,[4] entered and left the pressure hull leaving large holes, thus preventing the U-boat from diving. At the arrival of enemy surface craft, the surviving crew of 17 scuttled the boat and abandoned ship.[5] This was the first success of the Rocket Spear. U-752 sank with 30 men. Heinz Krey was one of them.

Wolfpacks

U-752 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely.

  • Westwall (2–12 March 1942)
  • Hai (3–21 July 1942)
  • Schlagetot (9–21 November 1942)
  • Habicht (10–19 January 1943)
  • Haudegen (19 January – 9 February 1943)
  • Amsel 3 (4–6 May 1943)
  • Rhein (7–10 May 1943)
  • Elbe 1 (10–14 May 1943)
  • Oder (17–19 May 1943)
  • Mosel (19–23 May 1943)

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[6]
25 August 1941 T-898 (No 44)  Soviet Navy 553 Sunk
15 November 1941 T-889 (No 34)  Soviet Navy 581 Sunk
21 April 1942 West Imboden  United States 5,751 Sunk
23 April 1942 Reinholt  Norway 4,799 Damaged
1 May 1942 Bidevind  Norway 4,956 Sunk
23 July 1942 Garmula  United Kingdom 5,254 Sunk
27 July 1942 Leikanger  Norway 4,003 Sunk
9 August 1942 Menanau  Netherlands 6,047 Sunk
13 August 1942 Cripple Creek  United States 6,347 Sunk
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References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  2. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-752". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-752". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
  4. Gerald Pawle, The Wheezers & Dodgers, Seaforth Publishing 2009 ISBN 978-1-84832-026-0
  5. Busch, Röll 1999, p. 100-3.
  6. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-752". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 February 2014.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

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