Zieten was the name given to two wolfpacks of German U-boats that operated during the World War II Battle of the Atlantic in 1942, the first, larger and more successful was from 6 January 1942 to 22 January 1942,[1] the second, smaller from 23 March to 29 March 1942.[2]
Wolfpack Zieten 1 | |
---|---|
Active | 6 January 1942 - 22 January 1942 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Kriegsmarine |
Size | 12 submarines |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Peter-Erich Cremer Rolf Mützelburg Erich Topp Karl Thurmann |
Wolfpack Ziethen 2 | |
---|---|
Active | 23–29 March 1942 |
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Kriegsmarine |
Size | 4 submarines |
It was named after Hans Joachim von Zieten (1699 - 1786), a German cavalry officer under Frederick the Great
The group was responsible for sinking eleven merchant ships 39,900 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging a further three merchant ships 17,621 GRT.
Date | U-boat | Name of ship | Nationality | GRT | Convoy | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 January 1942 | U-701 | Baron Erskine | United Kingdom | 3,657 | SC-62 | Sunk |
15 January 1942 | U-203 | Catalina | Portugal | 632 | Sunk | |
15 January 1942 | U-552 | Dayrose | United Kingdom | 4,113 | Sunk | |
15 January 1942 | U-553 | Diala | United Kingdom | 8,106 | ON-52 | Damaged |
16 January 1942 | U-86 | Toorak | United Kingdom | 8,627 | ON-52 | Damaged |
17 January 1942 | U-87 | Nyholt | Norway | 8,087 | ON-52 | Sunk |
17 January 1942 | U-203 | Octavian | Norway | 1,345 | Sunk | |
18 January 1942 | U-86 | Dimitrios G. Thermiotis | Greece | 4,271 | SC-63 | Sunk |
18 January 1942 | U-552 | Frances Salman | United States | 2,609 | Sunk | |
21 January 1942 | U-754 | Belize | Norway | 2,153 | Sunk | |
21 January 1942 | U-203 | North Gaspe | Canada | 888 | Damaged | |
22 January 1942 | U-553 | Innerøy | Norway | 8,260 | Sunk | |
22 January 1942 | U-333 | Vassilios A. Polemis | Greece | 3,429 | ON-53 | Sunk |
22 January 1942 | U-754 | William Hansen | Norway | 1,344 | Sunk | |
Total: | 57,521 |
U-boat | Commander | From | To |
---|---|---|---|
U-84 | Horst Uphoff[3] | 13 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-86 | Walter Schug[4] | 7 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-87 | Joachim Berger[5] | 6 January 1942 | 17 January 1942 |
U-135 | Friedrich-Hermann Praetorius[6] | 6 January 1942 | 20 January 1942 |
U-203 | Rolf Mützelburg[7] | 7 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-333 | Peter-Erich Cremer[8] | 17 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-552 | Erich Topp[9] | 6 January 1942 | 19 January 1942 |
U-553 | Karl Thurmann[10] | 6 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-582 | Werner Schulte[11] | 15 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-654 | Ludwig Forster[12] | 6 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-701 | Horst Degen[13] | 6 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
U-754 | Hans Oestermann[14] | 6 January 1942 | 22 January 1942 |
The group had no success and lost one U-boat.
U-boat | Commander | From | To |
---|---|---|---|
U-209 | Heinrich Brodda[15] | 23 March 1942 | 29 March 1942 |
U-376 | Friedrich-Karl Marks[16] | 23 March 1942 | 29 March 1942 |
U-378 | Alfred Hoschatt[17] | 23 March 1942 | 29 March 1942 |
U-655 | Adolf Dumrese[18] | 23 March 1942 | 24 March 1942 |