These pages contain a compilation of all known losses of life from U-boats that either survived the incident or were put into commission shortly afterwards.
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January
U-3507,
21 Jan 1945
One man died in an accident. [Maschinengefreiter Rudi Grötzschel]
U-348,
28 Jan 1945
One man drowned in a diving accident near Gotenhafen, while checking the damage sustained by U-348 after it ran aground near Hela the day before. [Matrose Hermann Witthöft]
February
U-997,
24 Feb 1945
The boat lost a man overboard in the Arctic Ocean. [Bootsmaat Erich Sachse]
March
U-733,
3 Mar 1945
The commander of the boat died after an accident in Wesermünde. [Oberleutnat zur See Hans Hellmann]
U-351,
9 Mar 1945
U-351 was only limitedly able to dive after being slightly damaged by bombs during a Soviet air raid on Pillau, where it was used as electricity generation plant. Three crew members were killed, one seriously (who later died in a field hospital) and three lightly wounded. [Matrosenobergefreiter Karl-Heinz Kober (died on 11 March), Matrosenobergefreiter Franz Anton Xaver Lummer, Maschinenmaat Herbert Schwichtel, Matrosengefreiter Gottfried Storm]
U-78,
13 Mar 1945
A crew member was wounded during bombardment by Soviet artillery at Pillau, where U-78 was used as electricity generation plant. He died of wounds in a field hospital the next day. [Maschinenmaat Alfred Tebel]
April
U-2502,
8 Apr 1945
U-2502s commander, Kptlt. d. Res Gert Mannesmann, died in an air raid on Hamburg.
U-2539,
21 Apr 1945
U-2539s commander, Oblt. Erich Jewinski, died in an air raid on Kiel.
U-637,
26 Apr 1945
Norwegian MTBs (motor torpedo boats) 711 and 723 claimed a German U-boat sunk near Utsira, Norway. Their target was U-637, which was not sunk. The commander of U-637 shot himself after being seriously wounded in the face. The Engineering Officer brought the boat to port. Several of the crew died in action. [Kapitänleutnant Wolfgang Riekeberg]
U-3012,
28 Apr 1945
After a misfiring of the 2cm AA machine gun on 28 April the I WO Oberleutnant zur See Wolfgang Schlett was killed instantly. The commander of the boat, Kapitänleutnant Hans Bungards, was heavily wounded and died next night in the Navy hospital at Travemünde.
May
U-2524,
3 May 1945
British Beaufighters from Sqdns 236 and 254 attacked U-2524, killing one man and leaving the boat severely damaged. She was scuttled later that day. The LI refused to leave and went down with the boat. [Oberleutnant (Ing) Werner Braun]
U-2503,
3 May 1945
A rocket from a Beaufighter aircraft penetrated the control room, killing the commander and twelve of the crew. U-2503 was scuttled the following day.
U-393,
4 May 1945
U-393 and U-733 were proceeding from Flensburg to Horten together when they were attacked and badly damaged by US fighter bombers (XXIX TAC, 9th AF) in the Gelting Bay at 1740hrs. Both U-boats were scuttled by their crews the next day. U-733 had no casualties, but the commander and a crewman from U-393 were mortally wounded during the air attack. [Oberleutnant zur See Friedrich-Georg Herrle, Bootsmaat Erich Schneider]
U-349,
5 May 1945
When the boat was scuttled Obermaschinist Wilhelm Hegenbarth set the charges off and refused to leave the boat.
U-873,
19 May 1945
Former commander Kptlt. Friedrich Steinhoff committed suicide while being kept in jail in Boston, USA instead of a POW camp.
Total numer of losses:
34 men in 15 incidents (31 dead and 3 wounded)
Return to U-boat Crew Casualties