U-179 - 1st War Patrol

Translation by Jerry Mason with help from Andi Forster

Click the icon to download a KMZ file displaying the U-boat track, significant events and locations for this patrol.  You must have Google Earth loaded on your computer to view this file.  Download Google Earth here

Ships Hit
Date	KTB Time	Position	Ship	Tons	Nationality	Convoy
8 Oct 42		55°57'N, 18°55'W	CITY OF ATHENS	6,558	British
			Total = 6,558
Note:  The positions in the table above and in the Google Earth patrol summary are derived from the KTB and in many cases do not match those set forth in authoritative references such as Jürgen Rohwer, Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two or the Uboat.net website.  The goal here is to present the picture relative to the U-boat and not the absolute position that the ship was attacked or sank.

			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h
			"U  179"
			Kommandant:	Korvetten Kapitän    S  o  b  e
				Beginning:    7 March 1942,
				Ending:       14 August 1942.
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Click the flag to view the above page from the original German KTB

	- 1 -
		07.03.42	Bremen, Grain Harbor	Commissioning.
		08.03.42 -	Bremen, Grain Harbor	Drills- and work duties.
		15.04.42	Weser	Shipyard acceptance cruise, U.A.K.- trim test.  Maneuvering and dive training.
		16.04.42 -	Bremen - Deutsche Bucht	Transfer cruise to Kiel.
		17.04.42	Elbe - Kaiser Wilhelm Canal - Kiel
		18.04.42 -	Kiel  Western Baltic	U.A.K. - testing, Kiel.
		28.04.42
		28.04.42 -	Kiel  Central Baltic - Gotenhafen	Transit to Gotenhafen.
		30.04.42
		01.05.42 -	Gotenhafen, Danzig Bay	T.E.K.- testing.
		07.05.42
		08.05.42 -	Danzig, Danzig Bay, Gotenhafen	Testing with U.A.G.I.
		13.05.42
		14.05.42	Gotenhafen, Danzig Bay	T.E.K.- testing.
		15.05.42	Danzig Bay	Independent training.
		18.05.42	Danzig Shipyard
		19.05 42 -	Gotenhafen, Danzig Bay	Independent training in harbor and at sea.
		27.05.42
		28.05.42 -	Hela, Danzig Bay	Maneuvering and crash dive training with the Agru-Front.
		31.05.42
		01.06.42 -	Hela, Danzig Bay	Training duties at sea, artillery shooting.
		02.06.42
		03.05.42 -	Danzig, Danzig Bay	Torpedo shooting with the 25. U-Flottille and training.
		09.06.42
		10.06.42 -	Gotenhafen, Eastern Baltic, Gotenhafen	Tactical training with the 27. U-Flottille.
		18.06.42
		19.06.42-	Gotenhafen, Central Baltic, Rönne	Transit to Rönne, sound trials.
		20.06.42
		21.06.42	Central Baltic, Kiel, Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, Brunsbüttelkog	Transit to Kiel, ammunition offload,Canal cruise to the west.
		22.06.42	Elbe, North Sea, Weser, Bremen	Transit to Bremen.
		23.06.42 -
		03.08.42	Weserwerft, Bremen	Final adjustments.

	- 2 -
		02.08.42	Bremen - Weser	Shipyard - Sea trials.
		04.08.42	Bremen, Weser, Kaiser Wilhelm Canal, Kiel, Tirpitz Harbor	Transit to Kiel.
		05.08.42 -	Kiel	Outfitting for the Front with the 5. U-Flottille.
		14.08.42
				Korv. Kapt. and Kmdt.

			K  r  i  e  g  s  t  a  g  e  b  u  c  h    "  U  179  " ___________________________________ Kommandant:  Korvettenkapitän  S  o  b  e      (Issued by 2. Skl./B.d.U. Op.)
		1942
		15.08.42	Kiel	Put to sea with orders to head for CF 70 via AL 70.
		19.08.42		U-179 received orders, to switch to Ireland Circuit from 20 August at 08.00 hours.
		24.08.42	AL 3864	From U-179:  Position report on request.
		26.08.42		U-179:  Reported weather from AL 93.
		29.08.42		U-179:  Reported weather from BE 81.
		30.08.42		From B.d.U.:
				Continue transit via CF 70, DG 90, EH 30, FE 50 to GR.  From 31 August at 08.00 hours switch to America Circuit.
		31.08.42	CF 5212	From U-179:  Question possibility of supply from Wilamowitz from remaining inventory U-459 after supply group "Eisbar".  Current inventory 395 cbm.  Daily consumption most economical transit with charging up to 2.7 cbm.
		17.12		From B.d.U.:
				Fuel supply from Wilamowitz still not assessed, however unlikely.
		05.09.42		From B.d.U.:
				Proceed to ordered operations area FD 10 and 20.
		18.09.42	FD 5375	From U-179:
				13 - 17 September FD 10 and 20 no traffic, proceeding south.

	- 2 -
		20.09.42		From B.d.U.:
				South of 5°S attack free only on battleships and aircraft carriers.
		21.09.42		From B.d.U.:
				English U-boat sighting report in FM 2471 lies here.
		29.09.42		From B.d.U.:
				On 1 October switch to Africa Circuit.
		30.09.42		From B.d.U.:  Instructions concerning behavior after completion of the first attack of Group "Eisbar".  Afterwards free to attack initially in area GR operate according to traffic situation.
		07.10.42		From B.d.U.:
				Orders concerning set attack date to 10 October settled.  Attack free for all boats from 8 October at 00.00 hours.
		08.10.42		From B.d.U.:
				Free to maneuver in area around GR 5660.
			Since no report was received from U-179, the boat was asked to report situation on 15, 17 and 18 October.  There was no answer.  According to a report from U-504 on 8 October 1942 at 16.31 hours a torpedo detonation was observed in GR 5649 on a freighter of 4000 GRT which sank.  Only U-179 comes in question for the sinking, to which it is accredited.
			On 28 January 1943 U-179 was declared missing one star with effect from 15 October 1942, on 10 May 1943 missing two stars.  Total loss is assumed.
			For the Befehlshaber der Unterseeboote
			The Chef of the Operations Department

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