German submarine U-233
.jpg) U-233 about to be rammed by USS Thomas
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-233 |
| Ordered | 7 December 1940 |
| Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
| Yard number | 663 |
| Laid down | 15 August 1941 |
| Launched | 8 May 1943 |
| Commissioned | 22 September 1943 |
| Fate | Sunk 5 July 1944 |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Class and type | Type X submarine minelayer |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
|
| Beam |
|
| Height | 10.20 m (33 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.71 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | Calculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft) |
| Complement | 5 officers, 47 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
| Service record[2] [3] | |
| Part of: |
|
| Identification codes: | M 54 276 |
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: |
|
| 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
[edit]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
[edit]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] US Navy report on U-233 survivors 1944[7]
References
[edit]- ^ Gröner 1991, pp. 76–77.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
- ^ Blair 2000, p. 568.
- ^ Kemp 2000, p. 201.
- ^ Niestlé 1998, p. 145.
- ^ Uboat archive 1944
Bibliography
[edit]- Blair, Clay (1 July 2000). Hitler's U-boat War: The Hunted, 1942-45. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0-304-35261-6.
- 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.
- 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). Vol. 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. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Kemp, Paul (1 March 2000). U-Boats Destroyed: German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour Press. ISBN 978-1-85409-515-2.
- Niestlé, Axel (1998). German U-Boat Losses During World War II: Details of Destruction. ISBN 978-1-85367-352-8.
External links
[edit]- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type XB boat U-233". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
- Hofmann, Markus. "U 233". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 31 January 2015.
