# German submarine U-952

German submarine U-952 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 February 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 152, launched on 14 October 1942 and commissioned on 10 December 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Oskar Curio.

## Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-952 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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).
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). 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-952 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 one twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

## Service history

The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 10 December 1942, followed by active service on 1 May 1943 as part of the 3rd Flotilla for the next seven months. On 1 February 1944 she transferred to serve with 29th Flotilla, based in La Spezia, for Mediterranean operations.
In five patrols she sank two merchant ships, for a total of 13,374 gross register tons (GRT), as well as one warship and also damaged a merchant ship.

### Wolfpacks

U-952 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
* Without name (5 – 10 May 1943)
* Isar (10 – 15 May 1943)
* Donau 1 (15 – 26 May 1943)
* Leuthen (15 – 24 September 1943)
* Rossbach (27 September – 6 October 1943)

### Fate

U-952 was decommissioned on 12 July 1944 after being badly damaged on 5 July 1944 by US air raid. Her wreck was captured by French and broken up in 1946.

### Previously recorded fate

U-952 was sunk on 6 August 1944 in the Military port of Toulon, France, in position 43°07′N 05°55′E﻿ / ﻿43.117°N 5.917°E﻿ / 43.117; 5.917, during an air raid by US Liberator bombers.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 21 September 1943 | HMS Polyanthus | Royal Navy | 925 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1943 | Steel Voyager | United States | 6,198 | Sunk |
| 23 September 1943 | James Gordon Bennett | United States | 7,176 | Damaged |
| 10 March 1944 | William B. Woods | United States | 7,176 | Sunk |