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History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-372
Ordered	23 September 1939
Builder	Kriegsmarinewerft Kiel, Kiel
Yard number	3
Laid down	17 November 1939
Launched	8 March 1941
Commissioned	19 April 1941
Fate	Sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers and an RAF Wellington bomber.
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;
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 (4 bow, 1 stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla; 19 April – 13 December 1941; 29th U-boat Flotilla; 14 December 1941 – 4 August 1942;
Identification codes:	M 41 556
Commanders:	Kptlt. Heinz-Joachim Neumann; 19 April 1941 – 4 August 1942;
Operations:	6 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 9 July – 13 August 1941; 2nd patrol:; 10 September – 13 October 1941; 3rd patrol:; 13 November – 16 December 1941; 4th patrol:; 17 – 31 January 1942; 5th patrol:; 15 June – 12 July 1942; 6th patrol:; 27 July – 4 August 1942;
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk ; (11,751 GRT); 1 auxiliary warship sunk ; (14,650 GRT);

German submarine U-372 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1939 by Kriegsmarinewerft Kiel as construction number 3, launched on 8 March 1941 and commissioned on 19 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-372 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-372 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 19 April 1941, followed by active service on 1 July 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla until 13 December 1941, when she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla for operations in the Mediterranean.

In 6 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of 11,751 gross register tons (GRT), and HMS Medway, a 14,650 GRT, valuable submarine depot ship.

Fate

U-372 was sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean, SW of Haifa, in position 32°28′N 34°37′E / 32.467°N 34.617°E / 32.467; 34.617, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh, HMS Zulu, HMS Croome, HMS Tetcott and an RAF Wellington bomber piloted by F/O Gordon L. MacIntyre DFC. All hands survived.

Wolfpacks

U-372 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
Störtebecker (16 – 19 November 1941)
Steuben (19 November – 2 December 1941)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[3]
5 August 1941	Belgravian	United Kingdom	3,136	Sunk
5 August 1941	Swiftpool	United Kingdom	5,205	Sunk
19 September 1941	Baron Pentland	United Kingdom	3,410	Sunk
30 June 1942	HMS Medway	Royal Navy	14,650	Sunk

References

Notes

^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-372". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 November 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.
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.