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German submarineU-997

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Coordinates:55°50′N10°05′W / 55.833°N 10.083°W /55.833; -10.083

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

German World War II submarine

History
U-995 Type VIIC/41 at theLaboe Naval Memorial. This U-boat is almost identical toU-997.
Nazi Germany
Name	U-997
Ordered	14 October 1941
Builder	Blohm & Voss AG,Hamburg
Yard number	197
Laid down	7 December 1942
Launched	18 August 1943
Commissioned	23 September 1943
Fate	Surrendered on 9 May 1945 atNarvik, Norway Sunk on 13 December 1945 duringOperation Deadlight
General characteristics^[1]
Class & type	Type VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement	759tonnes (747long tons) surfaced 860 t (846 long tons) submerged
Length	67.23 m (220 ft 7 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) Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	44-52 officers & ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern) 14 ×torpedoes 1 ×8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 ×3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 AA gun 2 ×2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 23 September 1943 – 30 April 1944 9th U-boat Flotilla 1 – 31 May 1944 13th U-boat Flotilla 1 June 1944 – 1 March 1945 14th U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 8 May 1945
Identification codes:	M 55 164
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S.Hans Lehmann^[2] 23 September 1943 – 9 May 1945
Operations:	7 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 25 May – 22 June 1944 b. 18 – 20 July 1944 2nd patrol: 6 August – 2 September 1944 3rd patrol: a. 13 September – 2 October 1944 b. 8 – 10 October 1944 4th patrol: 14 October – 9 November 1944 5th patrol: a. 21 November – 26 December 1944 b. 27 – 29 December 1944 c. 22 – 26 February 1945 d. 7 – 8 March 1945 6th patrol: 12 – 24 March 1945 7th patrol: a. 17 – 30 April 1945 b. 12 May 1945 c. 15 – 19 May 1945
Victories:	1 merchant ship sunk (1,603 GRT) 1 warship sunk (105 tons) 1 merchant ship damaged (4,287 GRT)

German submarineU-997 was aType VIIC/41 U-boat built forNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine for service duringWorld War II.She waslaid down on 7 December 1942 byBlohm & Voss,Hamburg as yard number 197,launched on 18 August 1943 andcommissioned on 23 September 1943 underOberleutnant zur SeeHans Lehmann.

Design

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Like allType VIIC/41 U-boats,U-977 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in).^[3] The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46supercharged six-cylinder four-strokediesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) and twoBBC GG UB 720/8double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. The boat was capable of operating at a depth of 250 metres (820 ft).^[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). 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).^[3]U-997 was fitted with three anti-aircraft guns, five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four on the bow and one on the stern) and fourteentorpedoes. Itscomplement was between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Sensors

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Passive sonar

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U-997 was one of only ten Type VIIC's to be fitted with aBalkongerät (literally 'Balcony apparatus or equipment'). TheBalkongerät was used on U-boats (U-682,U-788,U-799,U-1021,U-1105,U-1172,U-1306,U-1307 andU-1308).^[4] TheBalkongerät was standard on the Type XXI and theType XXIII. Nonetheless, it was also fitted to several Type IXs and oneType X. TheBalkongerät was an improved version ofGruppenhorchgerät (GHG) (group listening device). The GHG had 24 hydrophones, theBalkongerät had 48 hydrophones and improved electronics, which enabled more accurate readings to be taken.^[5]

The outside view of the German design of Balcongerät installed on Type VIIC's

Service history

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The boat's service career began on 23 September 1943 with the5th Training Flotilla, followed by 12 months active service, with a succession of three flotillas, namely9th Flotilla on 1 May 1944, then13th Flotilla on 1 June 1944, and finally with14th Flotilla on 1 March 1945.

Wolfpacks

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U-997 took part in sevenwolfpacks, namely:

Grimm (31 May – 6 June 1944)
Trutz (17 August – 1 September 1944)
Grimm (13 September – 1 October 1944)
Regenschirm (14 – 16 October 1944)
Panther (16 October – 8 November 1944)
Stier (21 November – 25 December 1944)
Hagen (15 – 21 March 1945)

Fate

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U-997 was surrendered on 9 May 1945 and was sunk by aircraft on 13 December 1945 in theNorth Atlantic, in position55°50′N10°05′W / 55.833°N 10.083°W /55.833; -10.083, as part ofOperation Deadlight.

Summary of raiding history

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Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[6]
7 December 1944	BO-229	Soviet Navy	105	Sunk
22 April 1945	Idefjord	Norway	4,287	Damaged
22 April 1945	Onega	Soviet Union	1,603	Sunk

References

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Notes

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^Merchant ship tonnages are ingross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tonsdisplacement.

Citations

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^Helgason, Guðmundur."Type VIIC/41".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved23 March 2015.
^Helgason, Guðmundur."Hans Lehmann (Knight's Cross)".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved23 March 2015.
^^a ^b ^c ^dGröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^Base on war-time photographs.
^"Hydrophones".U-boats Aces - uboataces.com. Retrieved20 May 2016.
^Helgason, Guðmundur."Ships hit by U-997".German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved26 March 2015.

Bibliography

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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.
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.

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by:Type II Followed by:Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in December 1945
Shipwrecks	1 Dec:USS Bellona,U-826,U-1004,U-1061,U-1104 3 Dec:U-994 4 Dec:U-218,U-299,U-539,U-777 5 Dec:U-1005 7 Dec:U-245,U-907,U-1019 8 Dec:U-485,U-773,U-775,U-1203,U-1271,U-1272 9 Dec:U-532,U-1052,U-1307 11 Dec:U-716,U-978,U-991,U-1163 13 Dec:Empire Tigaven,HMSN 86,U-255,U-293,U-295,U-760,U-997,U-1002 16 Dec:U-483,U-739,U-928,U-992,U-1009,U-1301 17 Dec:U-368,U-779,U-956,U-1198,U-1230 20 Dec:U-291 21 Dec:U-149,U-150,U-155,U-318,U-427,U-637,U-720,U-806,U-1102,U-1110 22 Dec:U-143,U-145,U-1194,U-2354 23 Dec:Duncan L. Clinch 27 Dec:Empire Tigawa,U-313 28 Dec:U-680 29 Dec:USS Minivet,U-390,U-930,U-1022,U-1233 30 Dec:Lambridge,U-1103,U-1165 31 Dec:U-294,U-363,U-668,U-802,U-861,U-874,U-875,U-883,U-2341 Unknown date:USS Industry
Other incidents	11 Dec:I-201 30 Dec:Éridan
194419451946 November 1945