Type: VII-D
Built by: Germania Werft (Kiel)
Launched: 15 November 1941
Commissioned: 31 January 1942
Feldpost Nr: M47721
Sunk: 5 June 1943
Sunk by: USN A/C VC-9 off USS BOGUE
Location sunk: North Atlantic
Position sunk: 30° 18'N x 42° 50'W (All hands lost - 50 men)

The only Skipper of U-217 was Kapitkdeutnant Kurt ReichenbachKlinke. He had previously commanded U23, was killed when the boat was lost.

U-217 was another of the rare minelaying adaptations of the Type VII-C but with an additional section added to the hull for the mines. She was attached to the 5's UBootfiottille based in Kiel for her working up trials, then to the 9u` in Brest as a Frontboot.

She patrolled the Caribbean off Venezuela and Trinidad over August and September of 1942. Several of the crew suffered from heat stroke.

Then over December 1942 and January 1943, she patrolled of the NE coast of Brazil and also Trinidad. While returning from this patrol, she picked up a survivor off the steamer SS RHEXENOR on 3 February 1943.

Her last patrol was to lay a minefield off Land's End, which she did, then headed out into the North Atlantic for convoy intercept duties. She did not return.

Here is a summery of the patrols, compiled by Captain ROBERT THEW (333-+-1986), of U-217.

On 30 July 1942 she made contact with Convoy ON. 115 but was driven off. On 1 August she helped form the "Piral' patrol line to regain contact. This was done, but U-217 failed in her attack on 2 August. Later in the patrol she sank one sailing ship of 75 tons.

In December she operated east of the Caribbean where she sank two ships of 10,576 tons. Still patrolling in the same area, she sank one 7,957 ton ship in January 1943. On 1 June she helped for the "Trutz" Group southwest of the Azores to operate against Convoy GUS.7A but the convoy evaded the group. She was sunk by two aircraft from BOGUE on 5 June. 20 October 1987, DAVID WHITE (42-+-1984) wrote:

While this particular boat was raising the blood pressure of the Dutch if Curacao, I was sitting on the SW tip of Puerto Rico at a lighthouse at Cabo Rojo as a direction finder operator. Most probably I took a few bearings on that boat and I saw in the World Journal newspaper published in San Juan for some date after attacking shipping, there was a picture of a torpedo that slid up on the beach. Don't know if it was from U-21 7 or not, but the boats were operating close in to shipping in the harbor. Don't believe there was any ASW forces there yet.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-217 UNDER KLINKE
19.08.42 unknown unknown unknown
Actually, all three torpedoes apparently missed and probably hit the mole at Willemstad.
19.08.42 SEAGULL D. Brit sail 75 GRT
14.12.42 ETNA Swed stmr 2,619 GRT
This ship was boarded and searched by the submarine crew, then scuttled.
20.12.42 unknown unknown 6,000 GRT
They observed one hit at the stem and after 36 minutes, the ship suddenly sank. Two additional detonations were heard on board.
29.12.42 unknown unknown 12,390 GRT
Claimed two hits - no confirmation.
03.02.43 RHEXENOR Brit stmr 7,957 GRT

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-217
28.12.42 unknown unknown 7,527 GRT
The ship took a hit, stopped dead in the water, after some minutes, continued on her way but making heavy smoke.