German submarine U-172

Template:U-Boat Frame Template:U-Boat Title Template:U-Boat Infobox Template:U Boat Commanders Template:U Boat Command Template:U Boat Command Template:U Boat Sinkings Template:U Boat Sink Template:U Boat Sink Template:U Boat Sink Template:U-Boat End Frame Unterseeboot 172 or U-172 was a German World War II Type IXC long-range submarine commissioned on 5 November 1941. U-172 was assigned to 4. Unterseebootsflottille (U-Boat Flotilla) for training, later on 1 May 1942 U-172 was assigned to 10. Unterseebootsflottille, an operational long-range flotilla. U-172 completed six patrols, and was very successful sinking 26 ships totalling 152,778 Gross Register Tonnage.

U-172 was sunk on 13 December 1943, in the mid-Atlantic west of the Canary Islands by Avengers and Wildcats from the escort carrier USS Bogue, destroyers USS George E. Badger, USS Clemson, USS Osmond Ingram and USS Du Pont. The battle between U-172 and the small armada of ships and planes lasted 27-hours and as many as 200 depth charges were dropped by the destroyers. 13 of U-172’s crew were killed and 46 survived the sinking.

References

• Bishop, C. Kriegsmarine U-Boats, 1939-45. Amber Books, 2006.