Active 2–15 September 1941 Branch Kriegsmarine Engagements Convoy ON 14 | Country Nazi Germany Size 17 submarines | |
Notable
commanders Wilhelm Zahn
Heinrich Schonder
Hans-Werner Kraus
Otto Ites
Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock
Robert Gysae
Karl Thurmann
Günther Krech
Robert Bartels
Klaus Bargsten
Gerhard Bigalk | ||
Seewolf was a wolfpack of German U-boats that operated during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II.
Contents
Seewolf was the name of three separate wolfpacks that operated in 1941, 1943 and 1945, respectively.
1941
This wolfpack operated in the North Atlantic, from 2 to 15 September 1941, and comprised the following boats:-
U-Boats Involved
Five merchant ships were sunk for a total of 20,396 GRT.
1943
This wolfpack operated in the North Atlantic, from 21 to 30 March 1943, and comprised the following boats:-
U-Boats Involved
No ships were sunk or damaged
1945
Seewolf was formed in March 1945 in an effort to re-establish the U-boat offensive in American waters; it was the last wolfpack of the Atlantic campaign. Seven of the nine boats that sailed to the Americas were in Seewolf; a further two sailed independently.
Coincidentally, Allied Intelligence formed the view that the Germans were planning to mount a missile attack on the United States, using V-1 or V-2 missiles adapted for launch at sea by submarines. This led to a vigorous response by the United States Navy, code-named Operation Teardrop, to find and destroy the Seewolf boats. This was successful; Of the five boats in American waters by April (two boats had returned to base for repairs, and were still in transit at the end of April) Four boats were sunk during the month:
Seewolf boats had one success; U-546 sank USS Frederick C. Davis, shortly before she herself was sunk.
The fifth boat U-881 was detected and destroyed on 6 May 1945, the last boat in American waters to be destroyed. The two boats in transit when Germany surrendered were given up to the USN on 8 May 1945.
U-Boats Involved
One US warship was sunk by this wolfpack.