U-375

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Oct 1939

Laid down

14 Mar 1940

Howaldtswerke AG, Kiel (werk 6)

Launched

7 Jun 1941

Commissioned

19 Jul 1941

Kptlt. Jürgen Könenkamp

Commanders

19 Jul 1941

25 Jul 1943

Kptlt. Jürgen Koenenkamp

Career
10 patrols

19 Jul 1941	-	31 Oct 1941	5. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1941	-	31 Dec 1941	3. Flottille (active service)
1 Jan 1942	-	25 Jul 1943	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

8 ships sunk, total tonnage 8,090 GRT
1 warship damaged, total tonnage 2,650 tons
1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 6,288 GRT

Fate

Missing since 25 July 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily. There is no explanation for its loss. 46 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, November 2009).

Loss position

See the 10 ships hit by U-375 - View the 10 war patrols

U-375 reported the last time on 25 July 1943 from approx. position 36.39N, 14.18E while operating against the ships of the Allied landings on Sicily.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk on 30 July 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea north-west of Malta, in position 36.40N, 12.28E, by depth charges from the US submarine chaser USS PC-624.
Notes. This attack was actually directed against the Italian submarine Velella inflicting no damage.

Attacks on this boat and other events

6 Dec 1941
The boat was trapped by British ASW forces while trying to pass the Straits of Gibraltar and was forced to retreat to the Atlantic and try again. U-375 was successful in reaching the Mediterranean on 9 December.

16 Dec 1941
18.19 hrs, Mediterranean: An unidentified flying boat dropped seven depth charges on U-375 after the boat crash-dived. No damage.

5 Feb 1942
U-375 was forced to return to base by damage from a depth charge attack by a hunter-killer group in the Mediterranean.

2 May 1942

At 14.12 hrs, the boat was attacked by Catalina AJ162 (202 Sqn RAF/C, pilot Flt Lt R.Y. Powell) from Gibraltar about 55 miles east of Cartagena, Spain. A salvo of seven 250lb depth charges was dropped close to the swirl about 10 seconds after the U-boat dived. The flying boat reported the sighting and remained in the vicinity until HMS Wishart and HMS Wrestler arrived at the scene. U-375 was not damaged by the air attack, but the destroyers soon located and sank the nearby U-74. Both U-boats were in the area after an attempt to assist U-573, which had been crippled by an air attack the day before. At 22.30 hrs, HMS Wishart then located the submerged U-375 and dropped 13 depth charges in two attacks, but the U-boat managed to escape undamaged during the night.

(Sources: ADM 199/1782, ADM 199/1783)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.