U-175

Type

IXC

Ordered

23 Dec 1939

Laid down

30 Jan 1941

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1015)

Launched

2 Sep 1941

Commissioned

5 Dec 1941

Kptlt. Heinrich Bruns

Commanders

5 Dec 1941

17 Apr 1943

KrvKpt. Heinrich Bruns (German Cross in Gold)

Career
3 patrols

5 Dec 1941	-	31 Aug 1942	4. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1942	-	17 Apr 1943	10. Flottille (active service)

Successes

10 ships sunk, total tonnage 40,619 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 17 April 1943 in the North Atlantic south-west of Ireland, in position 47.53N, 22.04W, by depth charges and gunfire from the US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Spencer. 13 dead and 41 survivors.

Loss position

See the 10 ships hit by U-175 - View the 3 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-175 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Without name (15 Apr 1943 - 17 Apr 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

2 Oct 1942
The boat was attacked twice by an American B-18 bomber (USAAF) but suffered no damage.

1 Jan 1943
1853hrs, off Sierra Leone: 5 bombs dropped by a British Catalina aircraft (270 Sqn RAF/V), causing minor damage. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

30 Jan 1943
1657hrs, southwest of Dakar: A British Catalina aircraft (270 Sqn RAF/G) dropped 6 depth charges on the boat. The extensive damage limited the ability to dive and an oil leak caused a serious loss of fuel that had to be replenished from U-118 (Czygan) on 11 February. (Sources: Rohwer/Ritschel)

3 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

Another Commanding officer?
There is a rather common misunderstanding that Gerhardt Muntz commanded U-175. This is found in variety of sources but is not true and no U-boat commander with that name existed in WWII and certainly not on U-175.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-175 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.