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German submarine U-390

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-390
Ordered21 November 1940
BuilderHowaldtswerke, Kiel
Yard number21
Laid down6 December 1941
Launched23 January 1943
Commissioned13 March 1943
FateSunk on 5 July 1944[1][2]
General characteristics
Class & typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 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
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)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record[2][3]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 50 970
Commanders:
  • Oblt.z.S. Heinz Geissler
  • 13 March 1943 – 5 July 1944
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 2 – 5 December 1943
  • b. 7 December 1943 – 13 February 1944
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 21 – 24 June 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 27 June – 5 July 1944
Victories: 1 auxiliary warship sunk
(545 GRT)

German submarine U-390 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out three patrols before being sunk by British warships 5 July 1944 in the English Channel.

She was a member of four wolfpacks.

She sank one auxiliary warship of 545 gross register tons (GRT).

Design

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German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-390 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[4] 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).[4]

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).[4] 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-390 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[4]

Service history

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The submarine was laid down on 6 December 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard at Kiel[5] as yard number 21,[2] launched on 23 January 1943 and commissioned on 13 March under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Geissler.[5]

After commissioning, U-390 joined the 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel for training the ship's crew, while in September that year, the submarine took part in experimental trials in the Baltic Sea.[5]

First patrol

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In December 1943, the submarine transferred to the operational 7th U-boat Flotilla.[5] On 2 December, the submarine left Kiel, arriving at Bergen, Norway, on 5 December, and leaving Bergen for the Atlantic on 7 December.[5][6] From 22 December, U-390 joined the patrol group Rüugen, operating to the west of Ireland. The Rügen group comprised six smaller groups in order to prevent their operating area from being deduced, with U-390 forming part of sub-group Rügen 3.[7] On 7 January, the small groups were ordered to separate, with the Rügen boats being deployed, singly, in a long line in the Western Approaches.[8][9] On 19 January, U-390 fired four torpedoes at ships south west of Rockall, but this attack failed.[8][10] On 26 January, U-390 joined another patrol line, Stürmer, north west of the North Channel, aiming to attack a convoy outbound from Britain,[8] but on 29 January, all submarines in the North Atlantic, including U-390 were ordered to intercept a potential invasion force which a German aircraft had reported as heading for Bordeaux. Shortly afterwards, however, this diversion was cancelled when it was confirmed that the alleged invasion force was in fact a group of Spanish fishing trawlers.[8][11] U-390 arrived at her new base of St. Nazaire in occupied France on 13 February 1944.[8]

Second patrol

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U-390's second foray was relatively uneventful; starting from St. Nazaire but finishing further north, at Brest.

Third patrol and loss

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The U-boat's third and final sortie began three weeks after the Normandy landings. She attacked and sank the British anti-submarine trawler HMS Ganilly on 5 July 1944. On the same day, she was sunk by depth charges dropped by two other British ships: the destroyer HMS Wanderer and the frigate HMS Tavy.

Forty-eight men died in U-390; there was one survivor rescued by Wanderer.

Wolfpacks

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U-390 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:

  • Coronel 2 (15 – 17 December 1943)
  • Rügen 3 (23 December 1943 – 7 January 1944)
  • Rügen (7 – 26 January 1944)
  • Stürmer (26 January – 3 February 1944)

Summary of raiding history

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Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT) 		Fate[12]
5 July 1944 HMT Ganilly  Royal Navy 545 Sunk

References

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  1. ^ Kemp 1999, p. 201.
  2. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-390". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-390". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  5. ^ a b c d e Wynn 2003, p. 259.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of German U-boat U-390 from 2 Dec 1943 to 5 Dec 1943". U-boat patrols. uboat.net. Retrieved 27 August 2025.
  7. ^ Wynn 2003, pp. 259–260.
  8. ^ a b c d e Wynn 2003, p. 260.
  9. ^ Blair 2000, p. 487.
  10. ^ Blair 2000, p. 488.
  11. ^ Blair 2000, p. 489.
  12. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-390". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 October 2013.

Bibliography

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  • Blair, Clay (2000). Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted, 1942–1945. New York: Modern Library. ISBN 0-679-64033-9.
  • 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.
  • Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.
  • Wynn, Kenneth (2003) [1997]. U-Boat Operations of the Second World War: Volume 1: Career Histories, U1–U510. London: Caxton Editions. ISBN 1-84067-525-X.
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49°52′N 0°48′W / 49.867°N 0.800°W / 49.867; -0.800