U-977
| |
| Laid down |
24 Jul, 1942 |
Blohm
& Voss, Hamburg |
| Commissioned |
6 May, 1943 |
Oblt. Hans Leilich |
| Commanders |
05.43 - 03.45
03.45 - 05.45 |
Kptlt. Hans Leilich
Oblt. Heinz Schäffer |
| Career |
1 patrol |
6 May, 1943 - 30 Sep, 1943 5. Flottille
(training)
1 Oct, 1943 - 28 Feb, 1945 21. Flottille
(school boat)
1 Mar, 1945 - 8 May, 1945 31. Flottille
(training)
|
| Successes |
No successes |
| Fate |
Interned at Mar del Plata, Argentina on 17 August, 1945 after a
66-day submerged trip from Norway.
Surrendered to USA in Boston on 13 Nov, 1945. She was torpedoed
off Massachusetts on 13 Nov, 1946 during torpedo trials by USS
Atule. |
Surrender in Argentina in August, 1945The boat left
Kristiansand, Norway on 2 May, 1945 for a combat patrol in the
English Channel. When Germany surrendered a few days later the boat
was outbound in Norwegian waters. After deciding to head for
Argentina Schäffer gave the married men on board the chance to go to
shore. Roughly a third of the crew, 16 men, opted for the shore and
were put on land on 10 May near Holsenöy in dinghies. They all ended
up in British hands. U-977 then sailed for
Argentina; from May 10 to July 14 the voyage was a 66-day continuous
submerged Schnorchel run, the second longest in the war (after U-978's 68 days).
The journey was extremely difficult for the crew and many were
apparently on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The boat stopped in
Cape Verde Islands for a short swim break and then headed south on
the surface using one diesel. Crossing the equator on July 23 she
arrived in Mar del Plata, Argentina on 17 August for a total patrol
length of 108 days.
The commander, Heinz Schäffer, published a book in 1952 called
U-boat 977 about his journey. |
|
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats,
which during their service lost men due to accidents and various
other causes, U-977 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until
the time of her loss. |
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