German submarineU-237

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-237
Ordered	20 January 1941
Builder	Germaniawerft,Kiel
Yard number	667
Laid down	23 April 1942
Launched	17 December 1942
Commissioned	30 January 1943
Fate	Sunk by American bombs inKielduring a raid on 14 May1943,but was raised, repaired and returned to service.; Sunk a second time by British bombs at the Deutsche Werke inKielon 4 April1945.;
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIICsubmarine
Displacement	769tonnes(757long 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;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
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	8,500nmi(15,700km;9,800mi) 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 ×G7e torpedoesor26 TMAmines; 1 ×8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun(220 rounds); 1 x2 cm (0.79 in) C/30AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 30 January – 26 May 1943; 23rd U-boat Flotilla; 8 October 1943 – 28 February 1945; 31st U-boat Flotilla; 1 March – 4 April 1945;
Identification codes:	M 49 758
Commanders:	Kptlt.Hubert Nordheimer; 31 January – 26 May 1943; Oblt.z.S.Lothar König; 8 October 1943 – September 1944; Obtlt.z.S.d.R.Johannes van Stipriaan; September – October 1944; Kptlt.Karl-Heinz Menard; October 1944 – 4 April 1945;
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

German submarineU-237was aType VIIC U-boatofNazi Germany'sKriegsmarineduringWorld War II.

The submarine waslaid downon 23 April 1942 at theFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerftyard atKielas yard number 667,launchedon 17 December andcommissionedon 30 January 1943 under the command ofOberleutnant zur SeeHubert Nordheimer.^[1]After training with the5th U-boat Flotillaat Kiel, she went to the23rd flotillaas a trials boat and then to the31st flotilla.She was sunk by American bombs at theGermaniawerftin Kiel during a raid on 14 May 1943, but was raised, repaired and returned to service. She was sunk a second time by British bombs at theDeutsche Werkein Kiel on 4 April 1945.

Design

German Type VIIC submarineswere preceded by the shorterType VIIB submarines.U-237had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2]She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), apressure hulllength of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeamof 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraughtof 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerftF46 four-stroke, six-cylindersupercharged diesel enginesproducing 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, twoAEGGU 460/8-276double-acting electric motorsproducing 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).^[2]

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).^[2]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-237was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes(four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes,one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun,220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplementof between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

References

^^a ^bHelgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-237".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved28 July2012.
^^a ^b ^c ^dGröner 1991,pp. 43–46.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).German U-boat commanders of World War II: a biographical dictionary.Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press.ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999).Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945[German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler.ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991).U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels.German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-237".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved26 December2014.
Hofmann, Markus."U 237".Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 – u-boot-archiv.de(in German).Retrieved26 December2014.

[uboatnet-1] Helgason, Guðmundur."The Type VIIC boat U-237".German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net.Retrieved28 July2012.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–46-2] Gröner 1991,pp. 43–46.

[1]

[2]

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by:Type II Followed by:Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in May 1943
Shipwrecks	1 May:Erinpura 2 May:Gneisenau,Turunmaa,U-465 4 May:U-109,U-439,U-659 5 May:Bristol City,Fingal,Hartwelson,U-638,Wentworth,USSWest Madaket,West Maximus 6 May:FR 117,U-125,U-192,U-438,U-531,U-630 7 May:Adele,Hermes,U-447,U-663,L'Audacieux 8 May:Kagerō,Kuroshio,Oyashio 9 May:Aso Maru 11 May:Nailsea Meadow,U-528 12 May:I-31,U-89,U-186,U-456 13 May:U-753 14 May:AHSCentaur,U-235,U-236,U-237,U-640 15 May:Irish Oak,U-176,U-266 16 May:Enrico Tazzoli,U-182,U-463 17 May:U-128,U-646,U-657 18 May:Empire Eve 19 May:Général Bonaparte,U-273,U-953 20 May:U-258 21 May:U-303 22 May:U-569 23 May:Leonardo da Vinci,USSNiagara,U-752 25 May:U-414,U-467 26 May:U-436 27 May:Léopard 28 May:Angelo Bassini,U-304,U-755 30 May:HMSUntamed 31 May:U-440,U-563 Unknown date:Calypso,Piemonte,Ro-102,U-209,U-381
Other incidents	2 May:USSHarder 10 May:USSMacdonough,USSSicard 14 May:I-177 17 May:USSS-33 19 May:La Vestale,HMSWishart 22 May:USSGrayling 31 May:USSS-34
194219431944 April 1943June 1943

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in April 1945
Shipwrecks	1 Apr:Awa Maru 2 Apr:CD-186,USSDickerson,U-321 3 Apr:Brummer,USSS-16,U-1221,U-2542,U-3505,T111 4 Apr:USSDickerson,U-237,U-749,U-3003 5 Apr:U-242,USSS-17 6 Apr:Amatsukaze,USSBush,USSColhoun,USSLeutze,USSMorris,USSNewcomb,USSWitter,SS Hobbs Victory,SS Logan Victory 7 Apr:Asashimo,Hamakaze,Isokaze,Isuzu,Kasumi,USSLST-447,Oldenburg,USSPGM-18,U-1195,Yahagi,Yamato 8 Apr:U-774,U-1001 9 Apr:Admiral Scheer,Ro-56,U-677,U-747,U-804,U-843,U-982,U-1065,U-2509,U-2514,U-3512,U-2516 10 Apr:U-878,Weser 12 Apr:USSMannert L. Abele,Ro-64,U-486 13 Apr:Karlsruhe,U-1024 14 Apr:Belgian Airman,U-235,U-1206 15 Apr:U-103,U-285,U-1063,U-1235 16 Apr:HMCSEsquimalt,Lützow,USSPringle,U-78,U-880,U-1274 17 Apr:Goya 19 Apr:Aquila,U-251,U-548,U-879 21 Apr:U-636 22 Apr:USSSwallow,U-518 23 Apr:USSEagle Boat 56,U-183 24 Apr:USSFrederick C. Davis,U-108,U-546 25 Apr:Graf Zeppelin,Ro-109,TA 32,U-326 27 Apr:Canada Victory,TA 34 28 Apr:CH-17,U-56 29 Apr:I-44,U-56,U-286,U-307,U-1017 30 Apr:HMSGoodall,TA 43,U-879,U-1107 Unknown date:I-56,Ro-46,Ro-49,USSSnook,U-246,U-325,U-396,U-398,U-548,U-857,U-1055
Other incidents	2 Apr:USSDickerson 5 Apr:USSThornton 6 Apr:USSDefense,USSEmmons,USSMullany,USSRodman 8 Apr:USSBullhead 9 Apr:USSSea Devil 11 Apr:I-401 12 Apr:USSLindsey,U-1024,USSZellars 14 Apr:USSSigsbee 15 Apr:HMSEkins,USSLaffey 16 Apr:USSBryant,Goya,USSHarding 19 Apr:USSBullhead,USSPogy,USSTolman 27 Apr:HMSRedmill 28 Apr:Argo,USSHuron 29 Apr:USSBaya 30 Apr:U-3525
194419451946 March 1945May 1945