German submarine U-233
History | |
---|---|
Nazi Germany | |
Name: | U-233 |
Ordered: | 7 December 1940 |
Builder: | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Laid down: | 15 August 1941 |
Launched: | 8 May 1943 |
Commissioned: | 22 September 1943 |
Fate: | Sunk 5 July 1944 |
General characteristics [1] | |
Class and type: | Submarine minelayer |
Displacement: |
|
Length: |
|
Beam: |
|
Height: | 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.71 m (15 ft 5 in) |
Propulsion: |
|
Range: |
|
Test depth: | Calculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft) |
Complement: | 5 officers, 47 enlisted |
Armament: |
|
Service record[2] [3] | |
Part of: |
|
Commanders: |
|
Operations: | 27 May – 5 July 1944 |
Victories: | None |
German submarine U-233 was a Type XB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 15 August 1941, launched on 8 May 1943 and commissioned on 22 September of the same year. U-233 was commanded throughout her career by Oberleutnant zur See Hans Steen.
Service history
U-233 was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training on 22 September 1943 and to the 12th U-boat Flotilla on 1 June 1944 for active service. Her first and only patrol commenced on 27 May 1944 when she departed Kiel to lay mines off Halifax.
Fate
On 5 July 1944 U-233 was intercepted by ships of the USS Card (CVE-11) hunter-killer group. She was identified by sonar, depth-charged to the surface and fired on by USS Baker (DE-190), before being rammed and sunk by USS Thomas (DE-102). 32 of her crew were killed in the action, 29 others being rescued by the escorts. Steen was also picked up, but died of wounds the next day. [4] [5] [6]
References
- ↑ Gröner 1991, pp. 76-77.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
- ↑ Blair, p. 568.
- ↑ Kemp, p. 201.
- ↑ Neistle, p. 145.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- 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.
- Clay Blair (2000-07-01). Hitler's U-boat War: The Hunted, 1942-45. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-304-35261-6.
- Paul Kemp (2000-03-01). U-Boats Destroyed: German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-515-2.
- Axel Niestlé (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II: Details of Destruction. ISBN 978-1-85367-352-8.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 233". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 31 January 2015.