Wreck of U-173

 Second World War 1939-1945, navy, shipwreck, submarine

Unterseeboot 173 was a Type IXC U-Boat in service with the Kriegsmarine during the Second World War, built at the AG Weser shipyards in Bremen and commissioned in November 1941.

After completing her first war patrol, she refitted at reprovisioned at Lorient before departing on November 1st, 1942 on patrol around the Canary Islands. Shortly after arrival at her destination, she received orders to sail at once for Casablanca, where the Allies were in the process of invading North Africa. Arriving off the invasion beaches on November 9th, the U-173 clandestinely stalked the Allied force while preparing her attack, each night reporting her findings so coordinated air and U-Boat strikes could be planned.

Finally on November 11th, Commander Hans-Adolf Schweichel was given authority to attack the assembled US ships. After weaving his way through Anti-Submarine picket lines throughout the day, Schweichel and U-173 were presented with a clear shot at the entire landing force. Selecting a group of three ships moored closely together, U-173 fired a spread of three torpedoes before she dove deep to escape the area. All three of her shots found their targets, damaging the Destroyer USS Hambleton (DD-455) and Oiler USS Winooski (AO-38) while sinking the Troop Transport USS Joseph Hewes (AP-50).

Returning to deep water once again following her first successful attack, the U-173 continued her recon of the US Fleet before again returning for another attack on November 15th, again clearing US defenses and firing torpedoes at the landing force. This time, all but one of her torpedoes missed their targets, but her sole victim the USS Electra (AK-21) was severely damaged and had to be beached to prevent her sinking.

U-173's attempt to escape following her second attack was met with considerable opposition, as US Navy warships quickly identified the U-boat on their sonar screens and quickly moved to attack. Three US Destroyers; USS Woolsey (DD-437), USS Swanson (DD-443) and USS Quick (DD-490) pounced on the U-173 with coordinated volleys of depth charges, and within 20 minutes of their first contact with the sub an oil slick and debris floated to the surface at this location, signaling the destruction of U-173, which was lost on November 16th, 1942 with all hands.

During her two war patrols, U-173 is credited with 1 ship sunk for 9,359 tons and 3 ships damaged for 19,915 tons.


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