# German submarine U-302

German submarine U-302 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 April 1941 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 302, launched on 25 April 1942 and commissioned on 16 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Sackel.
During her career, the U-boat sailed on eight combat patrols, sinking three ships, before she was sunk on 6 April 1944 in mid-Atlantic by a British frigate.
She was a member of ten wolfpacks.

## Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-302 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-302 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.

## Service history

The boat's service life began with training with the 8th U-boat Flotilla in May 1942. She was then transferred to the 11th flotilla for operations on 1 December. She was reassigned to the 13th flotilla on 1 June 1943 and moved again to the 9th flotilla on 1 November.
The boat made the short journey from Kiel in Germany to Bergen in Norway, arriving on 1 December 1942.

### First, second, third and fourth patrols

The submarine's first patrol began with her departure from Bergen on 2 January 1943.
Her fourth sortie finished in Narvik on 15 March 1943.
None of them was eventful.
The U-boat then made short voyages from Narvik to Trondheim to Hammerfest, (the latter lying in the far north of Norway).

### Fifth and sixth patrols

Her fifth patrol took her around Bear Island, west of Svalbard, then around Bear Island again.
Her sixth effort was successful in that she sank the Soviet Dikson near Mona Island on 22 August 1943.

### Seventh patrol

Leaving Trondheim on 6 December 1943, she passed through the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands. She arrived at La Pallice in occupied France, on 30 January 1944.

### Eighth patrol and loss

Her last patrol was her most successful, sinking the Ruth I and the South America on 6 April 1944.
She was sunk later on 6 April 1944 by depth charges. from the British frigate HMS Swale northwest of the Azores.
Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate |
| 28 August 1943 | Dikson | Soviet Union | 2,920 | Sunk |
| 6 April 1944 | Ruth I | Norway | 3,531 | Sunk |
| 6 April 1944 | South America | Norway | 6,246 | Sunk |