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History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-339
Ordered	17 December 1940
Builder	Nordseewerke, Emden
Yard number	211
Laid down	7 July 1941
Launched	30 June 1942
Commissioned	25 August 1942
Fate	Scuttled on 5 May 1945 near Wilhelmshaven
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla; 25 August 1942 – 1 March 1943; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 March – 1 April 1943; 22nd U-boat Flotilla; 1 April – 23 February 1945;
Identification codes:	M 50 708
Commanders:	Kptlt. Georg-Wilhelm Basse; 25 August 1942 – 17 May 1943; Oblt.z.S. Werner Remus; 18 May 1943 – 23 February 1945;
Operations:	1 patrol:; a. 22 – 28 March 1943; b. 3 – 9 April 1943;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-339 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 7 July 1941 at the Nordseewerke yard at Emden as yard number 211, launched on 30 June 1942 and commissioned on 25 August under the command of Kapitänleutnant Georg-Wilhelm Basse.

The U-boat spent most of her career as a training vessel. She sank or damaged no ships.

She was scuttled on 5 May 1945 at war's end near Wilhelmshaven.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-339 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-339 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 25 August 1942. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla on 1 March 1943. She was reassigned to the 22nd flotilla on 1 April.^[1]

Fate

The boat was seriously damaged by depth charges dropped from a British PBY Catalina of No. 190 Squadron RAF on 26 March 1943. As a result, she spent the rest of the war as a training vessel.^[3]

She was scuttled near Wilhelmshaven on 5 May 1945.

References

^ ^a ^b Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-339". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Hofmann, Markus. "U 339". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg; Berlin; Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-339". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 26 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 339". Deutsche U-Boote 1935–1945 – u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 26 December 2014.