German submarine U-323

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

}}

{{Infobox ship career

|Hide header=

|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-323

|Ship ordered=16 July 1942

|Ship builder=Flender Werke, Lübeck

|Ship yard number=323

|Ship laid down=12 March 1942

|Ship launched=12 January 1944

|Ship commissioned=2 March 1944

|Ship homeport=

|Ship motto=

|Ship nickname=

|Ship fate=Scuttled on 5 May 1945 in northern Germany

|Ship notes=

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

|Hide header=

|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC/41 submarine

|Ship displacement=

{{convert|759|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
{{convert|860|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

{{convert|67.23|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

{{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

{{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
{{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

2 shafts
2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors

|Ship speed=

{{convert|17.7|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

{{convert|8500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

{{convert|250|m|ft|abbr=on}}
Crush depth: {{convert|275|–|325|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
14 × torpedoes
1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
1 × 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 AA gun
2 × 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns

|Ship notes=

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u323.htm

|title=The Type VIIC/41 boat U-323

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=20 August 2012

}}{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u323.html

|title=War Patrols by German U-boat U-323

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=20 August 2012

}}

|partof=

4th U-boat Flotilla
2 March 1944 – 5 May 1945

|codes=M 49 909

|commanders=

Oblt.z.S. Max Bokelberg
2 March – 18 July 1944
Kptlt. Siegfried Pregel
19 July 1944 – 26 February 1945
Oblt.z.S. Hans-Jürgen Dobinsky
27 February – 5 May 1945

|operations=None

|victories=None

}}

German submarine U-323 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out no patrols and sank or damaged no ships.

The boat was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in northern Germany.

Design

Like all Type VIIC/41 U-boats, U-323 had a displacement of {{convert|759|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|860|t|LT}} while submerged. She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 supercharged six-cylinder four-stroke diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} and two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. The boat was capable of operating at a depth of {{convert|250|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}. When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} U-323 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm Flak 18/36/37/43 and two 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. Its complement was between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

The submarine was laid down on 12 March 1942 by the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 323, launched on 12 January 1944 and commissioned on 2 March under the command of Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Pregel.

She served with the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, from 2 March 1944 to 5 May 1945. The boat was scuttled on 5 May 1945 near Nordenham, (across the River Weser from Bremerhaven).

References

Bibliography

{{cite book

|last1=Gröner

|first1=Erich

|last2=Jung

|first2=Dieter

|last3=Maass

|first3=Martin

|translator-last1=Thomas

|translator-first1=Keith

|translator-last2=Magowan

|translator-first2=Rachel

|year=1991

|title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels

|volume=2

|series=German Warships 1815–1945

|location=London

|publisher=Conway Maritime Press

|isbn=0-85177-593-4

|ref=CITEREFGröner1991

}}

{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
{{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}