German submarine U-321


German submarine U-321 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She carried out two patrols, but did not sink any ships.
The boat was sunk in April 1945 by a Polish aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean.

Design

were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-321 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-321 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun,, one Flak M42 and two C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 21 January 1943 by the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 321, launched on 27 November 1943 and commissioned on 20 January 1944 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Ulrich Drews.
She served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, from 20 January 1944 to 28 February 1945 and the 11th flotilla for operations until her sinking on 2 April 1945.

1st patrol

U-320 departed Kiel on 1 March 1945 and arrived in Horten Naval Base, on the 9th.

2nd patrol and loss

The boat left Horten on 15 March 1945. On 2 April she was sunk by a Vickers Wellington of No. 304 Polish Bomber Squadron southwest of Ireland.
Forty-one men died; there were no survivors.