German submarine U-233

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-233
Ordered:	7 December 1940
Builder:	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Laid down:	15 August 1941
Launched:	8 May 1943
Commissioned:	22 September 1943
Fate:	Sunk 5 July 1944
General characteristics
Class & type:	Submarine minelayer
Displacement:	1,763 tonnes (1,735 long tons) surfaced 2,177 tonnes (2,143 long tons) submerged
Length:	89.80 m (294 ft 7 in) o/a 70.90 m (232 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam:	9.20 m (30 ft 2 in) o/a 4.75 m (15 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height:	10.20 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.71 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	2 × supercharged GW F 46 a 9 pu 9 cylinder, four-stroke diesel engines, 4,800 PS (4,700 bhp; 3,500 kW) 2 × AEG GU 720/8-287 electric motors, 1,100 PS (1,100 shp; 810 kW)
Range:	18,450 nautical miles (34,170 km; 21,230 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 93 nmi (172 km; 107 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	Calculated crush depth: 220 m (720 ft)
Complement:	5 officers, 47 enlisted
Armament:	2 × 53.3 cm (21 in) stern torpedo tubes 15 × torpedoes 66 × SMA mines 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (200 rounds)
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla (training) 22 September 1943 – 31 May 1944 12th U-boat Flotilla(front) 1 June 1944 – 5 July 1944
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Hans Steen 22 September 1943 – 5 July 1944
Operations:	27 May – 5 July 1944
Victories:	None

German submarine U-233 was a Type XB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 15 August 1941, launched on 8 May 1943 and commissioned on 22 September of the same year. U-233 was commanded throughout her career by Oberleutnant zur See Hans Steen.

Service history

U-233 was assigned to the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training on 22 September 1943 and to the 12th U-boat Flotilla on 1 June 1944 for active service. Her first and only patrol commenced on 27 May 1944 when she departed Kiel to lay mines off Halifax.

Fate

On 5 July 1944 U-233 was intercepted by ships of the USS  Card (CVE-11) hunter-killer group. She was identified by sonar, depth-charged to the surface and fired on by USS Baker (DE-190), before being rammed and sunk by USS Thomas (DE-102). 32 of her crew were killed in the action, 29 others being rescued by the escorts. Steen was also picked up, but died of wounds the next day.