German submarine U-969

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-969
Ordered:	5 June 1941
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	169
Laid down:	29 May 1942
Launched:	11 February 1943
Commissioned:	24 March 1943
Fate:	Sunk 6 August 1944 in Toulon in position , in an air raid by US Liberator bombers.
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 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
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) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 24 March – 30 September 1942 - Training 7th U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1942 – 29 February 1944 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 March - 6 August 1944
Commanders:	Lt.z.S. Max Dobbert 24 March 1943 - 6 August 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 5 October - 6 December 1943 2nd patrol: 18 January – 26 February 1944 3rd patrol: 20 March – 28 April 1944
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (14,352 GRT)

German submarine U-969 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 29 May 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 169, launched on 11 February 1943 and commissioned on 24 March 1943 under Leutnant zur See Max Dobbert.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-969 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel 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, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-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).

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). 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-969 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 24 March 1943, followed by active service on 1 October 1943 as part of the 1st Flotilla for the next five months. She transferred to 29th Flotilla, on 1 March 1944, based in La Spezia, for Mediterranean operations.

In three patrols she sank two merchant ships, for a total of 14,352 gross register tons (GRT).

Wolfpacks

U-969 took part in seven wolfpacks, namely

• Siegfried (22–27 October 1943)
• Siegfried 1 (27–30 October 1943)
• Körner (30 October – 2 November 1943)
• Tirpitz 2 (2–8 November 1943)
• Eisenhart 3 (9–15 November 1943)
• Schill 2 (17–22 November 1943)
• Weddigen (22 November – 4 December 1943)

Fate

U-969 was sunk on 6 August 1944 in the Military port of Toulon in position in an air raid by US Liberator bombers.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
22 February 1944	George Cleeve	United States	7,176	Total loss
22 February 1944	Peter Skene Ogden	United States	7,176	Total loss

See also

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)