German submarine U-352

German submarine U-352 was a Type VII submarine of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Commissioned on August 28, 1941, U-352 was part of the 3rd U-boat Flotilla and was primarily used for training purposes until January 1942, when it was deployed for active service.

Design and Construction

U-352 was a Type VII submarine, a class of submarines that were the most widely used by the Kriegsmarine during World War II. The Type VII submarines were designed for Atlantic operations and were capable of undertaking long-range operations. U-352 was built by Flender Werke AG, in Lübeck, Germany. The submarine was 67.1 meters long, had a beam of 6.2 meters, and a draft of 4.74 meters. It had a total displacement of 769 tonnes when surfaced and 871 tonnes when submerged.

Service History

U-352 was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Hellmut Rathke. On its third patrol, the submarine was sunk on May 9, 1942, by depth charges from the United States Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Icarus (WPC-110). Of the 46 crew members, 33 survived and were taken as prisoners of war by the United States.

Sinking

On May 9, 1942, U-352 engaged USCGC Icarus off the coast of North Carolina. The submarine fired a torpedo at Icarus, but missed. Icarus responded with depth charges, severely damaging U-352. Rathke ordered the crew to abandon the submarine, which then sank. The survivors were picked up by Icarus and taken to Charleston, South Carolina, where they were interned as prisoners of war.

Wreck

The wreck of U-352 is now a popular dive site off the coast of North Carolina. It lies at a depth of approximately 35 meters and is largely intact, although it is broken in two places.

See Also

• List of German U-boats
• Battle of the Atlantic