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| U-189 | Type IXC/40 |
| Feldpost Number | M 49 106 |
| Construction Yard | Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG, (AG Weser) Bremen |
| Yard Number | 1035 |
| Ordered | 4th Nov 1940 |
| Keel laid | 12th Sep 1941 |
| Launched | 1st May 1942 |
| Commissioned | 15th Aug 1942 |
| Baubelehrung | 6.KLA, Bremen | | Training, Flotillas and Duties | | 08.42 - 04.43 | 4.U-Flottille, Stettin
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
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| 04.43 - 04.43 | 2.U-Flottille, Lorient
Frontboot (operational)
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| Commanders | | 08.42 - 04.43 | KL Hellmut Kurrer |
| Operations information for U-189 | 03.04.1943 - 23.04.1943
First Sailing
U-189 left Kiel under the command of Hellmut Kurrer on 3rd Apr 1943 and arrived at return on 23rd Apr 1943 after nearly three weeks.
At 2100 HRS on 23rd Apr 1943 in square AK 14, U-189 came under attack from an aircraft of RAF 120 Squadron. U-189 was destroyed in the attack.
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| Notes for U-189 | U-189 was on its first patrol, having been ordered to the North Atlantic via the Denmark Straits where the meteorologist on board, Kurt Wolf, was to report on the extent of the ice there and give weather reports. On the 3rd of April U-189 was sighted by Liberator 'V' (FO J K Moffat) of 120 SQN RAF. Moffat and crew were proceeding to escort convoy HX-234 when they sighted not one but two surfaced U-boats, the nearest being U-189.
Moffat made his run while taking fire from U-189, dropping four depth charges and then coming round for another run. U-189's gunners had been silenced by the depth charge explosions, and the boat came to a stop. The Liberator dropped two more depth charges before flying out to circle for half an hour. They contacted the SNO of HX-234, reporting the boat was down by the stern and some 50 men were in the water. SNO replied no ships could be spared for any rescue.
KL Helmut Kurrer and his 53 crew all perished. FO John Moffat received the DFC for this attack.
We have 55 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 189
You can perform other crew searches here. Note that the number of names we give possibly includes prior crew members.
There is one photograph in this boat's album. Click here to view the U-Boat photo album.
You can discuss this boat or ask questions at the ubootwaffe.net forums | We have a position of 59°50N 34°43W for where this boat went down, mapped below. The cross represents where U 189 went down. | 
Mercator projection map ©ubootwaffe.net |
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 | | Gefreiter Hans Fuchs | | Courtesy Mathieu de Wolf | | This is a scan of a "Death Card". Hans Fuchs was barely 19 when he and the other 53 crew of U-189 were killed on the boat's first patrol. |
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