German submarine U-357

German submarine U-357 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II and was sunk by British warships northwest of Ireland on 26 December 1942 on her first operational patrol.

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-357
Ordered	26 October 1939
Builder	Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg
Yard number	476
Laid down	19 May 1940
Launched	31 March 1942
Commissioned	18 June 1942
Fate	Sunk on 26 December 1942[1]
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long 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	8,500 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)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record[2]
Part of:	8th U-boat Flotilla 18 June – 30 November 1942 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 – 26 December 1942
Identification codes:	M 06 392
Commanders:	Kptlt. Adolf Kellner 18 June – 26 December 1942
Operations:	1 patrol: 15 – 26 December 1942
Victories:	None

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-357 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[3] 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 AEG GU 460/8-276 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).^[3]

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).^[3] 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-357 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[3]

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 19 May 1940 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 476, launched on 31 March 1942 and commissioned on 18 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Adolf Kellner.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 18 June 1942 and the 6th flotilla from 1 December.

Fate

U-357 was sunk by depth charges dropped from the British destroyers HMS Hesperus and Vanessa on 26 December 1942 northwest of Ireland.^[1][4]

36 men died; six survived.^[2]