| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | U-384 |
| Ordered | 15 August 1940 |
| Builder | Howaldtswerke,Kiel |
| Yard number | 15 |
| Laid down | 29 March 1941 |
| Launched | 28 May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 18 July 1942 |
| Fate | Sunk on 19 March 1943[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[2] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 30 536 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: | 2 merchant ships sunk (13,407 GRT) |
German submarineU-384 was aType VIICU-boat ofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine duringWorld War II.
She carried out two patrols and sank one ship on each patrol. She was a member of threewolfpacks. On her second patrol, she was sunk by a British aircraft southwest ofIceland on 19 March 1943.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-384 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[3] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel 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, twoGarbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/cdouble-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).[3]
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).[3] 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-384 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft guns. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty.[3]
The submarine waslaid down on 29 March 1941 at theHowaldtswerke atKiel as yard number 15,launched on 28 May 1942 andcommissioned on 18 July under the command ofOberleutnant zur See Hans-Achim von Rosenberg-Gruszcynski.
She served with the5th U-boat Flotilla from 18 July 1942 and the3rd flotilla from 1 January 1943.
U-359's first patrol took her from Kiel in Germany on 12 December 1942. She sank theLouise Lykes in mid-Atlantic on 9 January 1943. She then docked atLa Pallice in occupied France on 3 February.
Having left La Pallice on 6 March 1943, she sank theCoracero on 17 March. On 19 March, she was sunk by a BritishBoeing B-17 Flying Fortress ofNo. 206 Squadron RAF.
47 men died in the U-boat; there were no survivors.[1]
U-361 was originally noted as sunk on 20 March 1943 by a BritishSunderland flying boat of201 Squadron. This attack was againstU-631.[2] No damage was sustained.
U-384 took part in threewolfpacks, namely:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate[4] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 January 1943 | Louise Lykes | 6,155 | Sunk | |
| 17 March 1943 | Coracero | 7,252 | Sunk |