List of all U-boats

U-979

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered5 Jun 1941
Laid down10 Aug 1942 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 179)
Launched15 Apr 1943
Commissioned20 May 1943Oblt. Johannes Meermeier
Commanders
20 May 1943 - 24 May 1945  Kptlt. Johannes Meermeier
Career
3 patrols
20 May 1943-31 Jul 1944  5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1944-14 Oct 1944  9. Flottille (active service)
15 Oct 1944-24 May 1945  11. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 348 GRT
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 6,386 GRT
1 auxiliary warship damaged, total tonnage 5,969 GRT
Fate

Scuttled on 24 May 1945 in the North Sea south-east of Amrum, Germany, in position 54.36,5N, 08.21,7E, after running aground on a sand bank.

Final location

See the 3 ships hit by U-979 - View the 3 war patrols

The wreck of U-979 was still present in July 1991.

Attacks on this boat and other events

23 Sep 1944
On attacking a small convoy, one of the escorts, the British anti-submarine trawler HMS St. Kenan, rammed and depth charged the boat. Damage to the periscope forced U-979 to return to Bergen. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 632)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat

This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus and sailed equipped with it in August 1944 but it was of course installed prior to that date.

Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-979 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Unicorn

Media links


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay




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