U-172

Type

IXC

Ordered

23 Dec 1939

Laid down

11 Dec 1940

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1012)

Launched

31 Jul 1941

Commissioned

5 Nov 1941

Kptlt. Carl Emmermann (Oak Leaves)

Commanders

5 Nov 1941	-	31 Oct 1943		Kptlt. Carl Emmermann (Knights Cross)
1 Nov 1943	-	13 Dec 1943		Oblt. Hermann Hoffmann

Career
6 patrols

5 Nov 1941	-	30 Apr 1942	4. Flottille (training)
1 May 1942	-	13 Dec 1943	10. Flottille (active service)

Successes

26 ships sunk, total tonnage 152,080 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 13 December 1943, after a hunt of 27 hours, in the Atlantic west of Canary Islands, in position 26.29N, 29.58W, by depth charges and Fido homing torpedoes from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (VC-19 USN) of the US escort carrier USS Bogue and by some 200 depth charges from the US destroyers USS George E. Badger, USS Clemson, USS Osmond Ingram and USS Du Pont. 13 dead and 46 survivors.

Loss position

See the 26 ships hit by U-172 - View the 6 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-172 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Eisbär (25 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942)
   Unverzagt (12 Mar 1943 - 17 Mar 1943)
   Seeräuber (25 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

8 Oct 1942
The boat was depth charged by the British corvette HMS Rock Rose but suffered only slight damage.

10 Oct 1942
At 13.01 hours, the boat was at periscope depth just after sinking the Orcades when an aircraft dropped three depth charges. No damage was caused, but U-172 had to leave the area submerged without questioning the survivors.

28 Mar 1943
In an attack by Wolfpack Seeräuber (Pirate) on the small convoy RS 3, three ships were sunk and 3 U-boats (of 8) seriously damaged, one of which was U-172. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)

7 Apr 1943
The boat was attacked by two B-24 Liberator bombers (USAAF Sqdn 1) which dropped 12 depth charges. U-172 stayed on the surface and fought it out without being damaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 204)

11 Aug 1943
An unidentified aircraft attacked U-172 while the boat was rescuing the crew of U-604 following her scuttling. One man from U-172 was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]

5 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

11 Aug 1943
An unidentified aircraft attacked U-172 while the boat was rescuing the crew of U-604 following her scuttling. One man from U-172 was killed. [Maschinenobergefreiter Fritz Schiemann]

Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -