Type: VII-C
Built by: Germania Werft (Kiel)
Launched: 14 March 1942
Commissioned: 9 May 1942
Feldpost Nr: M45566
Sunk: 27 September 1943
Sunk by: RAF A/C, 58 Squadron
Location sunk: SW of Ireland
Position sunk: 40º 00’N x 10º 00’W (50 men lost)

The only Skipper of U-221 was Kapitänleutnant Hans Trojer who was lost with the boat. He had previously commanded U-3.

U-221 was attached to the St. Nazaire based 7th U-Bootflottille as a Front Boot and had five war patrols, all in the North Atlantic. On the 8th of December 1942 on her 2nd war patrol, she accidentally rammed and sank U-254 with all but four men lost. U-221 picked up the four survivors.

Her conning tower emblem was the crest of the Austrian city of Klagenfurt, showing the famed dragon. Klagenfurt had adopted this boat during the war and the dragon was the famous (possibly infamous) symbol of that beautiful city.

War Patrol Summary
by Captain BOB THEW (333-+-1987)

On 8 December 1942, she collided with and sank U-254 in heavy seas while attacking a convoy. On the evening of 10 March 1943 and under the command of LCDR Trojer, she attacked Convoy HX.228 in heavy seas. During this attack, she sank two ships but was herself damaged in the explosion of one of the ships.

19 September 1942, she joined the “Pfeil” (Arrow) Group formed to regain contact with Convoy SC.100 but a storm prevented any attacks and the operation was called off on the 22nd.

U-221 continued the pursuit however, until the 25th. Shortly before this operation she sighted Convoy ON.129 on the 16th but lost it in the mist. Following the operation against SC.100, she was refueled by either U-116 or U-118 and then proceeded to an area east of Newfoundland where she joined the “Wotan” Group on 8 October.

On the night of 12/13 October she made three attacks on Convoy SC.104 and sank three ships for 11,345 tons. During the day she kept contact and called in more submarines. That night she attacked again and sank one ship of 5,929 tons and damaged a 12,398 ton whaling factory ship that she later sank.

By 8 December she was part of the “Draufganger” (Fire Eater) Group and approached Convoy HX.217. In the evening during an attempted attack was when she rammed and sank U-254.

On 7 March 1943, she sank one independent ship of 3,015 tons in the eastern part of the North Atlantic.

A few days later, she joined the “Neuland” Group to operate against Convoy HX.228. On the night of 10/11 March 1943, she attacked and sank two ships totaling 11,977 tons. Following this, she was reformed into the “Dranger” Group designed to operate against Convoy HX.229. On 18 March she attacked submerged and sank two ships totaling 15,484 tons.

In early May, she helped form the “Drössel” Group and on the 13th she sank a 9,432 ton straggler from Convoy SC.129. Next she became part of the “Oder” Group but HX.238 eluded them. On the 19th she was reformed as part of the “Mosel” Group to operate against Convoy HX.239 but U-221 failed to make contact.

On 1 June she became part of the “Trutz” Group southeast of the Azores for operations against Convoy GUS.7A but the convoy was able to evade the group. Next she was to operate against GUS.8 but it also avoided the line, as did GUS.10. On the 29th, she went into Lisbon.

SHIPS SUNK BY U-221 UNDER TROJER

10.13.42 FAGERSTEN Norw stmr 2,342 GRT
10.13.42 ASHWORTH Brit stmr 5,227 GRT
10.13.42 SENTA Norw stmr 3,785 GRT
10.13.42 unknown unknown 5,000 GRT
10.14.42 unknown unknown 3,000 GRT

10.14.42 SUSANA Amer stmr 5,929 GRT

An old ship, built in 1914, she was armed with one 4 inch deck gun, four .50 cal and two .30 cal machine guns. She was owned and operated by Madrigal and Company, and was commanded by Jose Ayesa. Her cargo and draft are unknown, but she was making just 6 knots when attacked. Bound from New York for Cardiff, Wales in rough seas, the torpedo hit her starboard side forward of hatch #5. She was settling rapidly by the stern, so the Armed Guard gun crews were unable to man the guns. Forty two merchant seaman and sixteen Armed Guards got off the ship quickly, but the rough seas hampered the rescue efforts. HMS GOTHLAND was able to save just six of the Armed Guards and fifteen of the crew.

10.14.42 unknown unknown 4,000 GRT
3.10.43 SOUTHERN EMPRESS Brit whaler 12,398 GRT
03.07.43 JAMAICA Norw mtrshp 3,015 GRT
03.10.43 TUCURINCA Brit stmr 5,412 GRT

3.10.43 ANDREA F. LUCKENBACH Amer stmr 6.565 GRT

An older ship, built in 1919, she was owned by Luckenbach and operated by WSA. She was armed with one 4 inch and one 3 inch deck gun, and eight 20mm automatic guns. Under her Master Rolf Neslund, she drew a little over 28 feet and was making 9 knots under her 11,600 tons of general Army equipment and explosives.
On 28 February 1943 she departed New York bound for Liverpool. At dusk on the 10th of March, the lead ship in her column was torpedoed and her crew went to general quarters. A few minutes later her lookouts spotted the periscope, then two torpedoes were fired.
The first hit her portside aft and triggered the explosives on board to detonate and the entire after end of the ship was blown off. A few seconds later, the 2nd torpedo hit just forward of the previous one.
The Master ordered the ship abandoned and the ship sank in just seven minutes. Most of the nine officers, forty-six men, twenty-eight Armed Guards and one passenger got off in two lifeboats but others jumped overboard and swam to wreckage.
An hour later, the oiler HMS ORANGELEAF picked up seventeen Armed Guards, all nine officers, thirty-seven men and the lone passenger. Twenty other men died and ten of the Armed Guards on the after gun platform were killed when the magazines below them exploded.

03.18.43 WALTER Q. GRESHAM Amer stmr 7,191 GRT

A new ship on her maiden voyage; owned by the Standard Fruit Company and operated by WSA. She was armed with one 5 inch and one 3 inch deck gun and eight 20mm automatic guns. Under her Master Byron Miller, she drew 23 ½ feet under her cargo of 10,000 tons of powdered milk, sugar and general cargo and was making 9 ½ knots when attacked.
The torpedo struck her portside by the #5 hold, creating a hole some thirty feet in diameter and destroying the gun crew’s after quarters as well as blowing off the prop.
The engines were secured and the crew abandoned ship. Eight officers, thirty-four men, twenty-six Armed Guards and two passengers went to their boat stations. Two lifeboats were successfully launched but a third capsized. The rest used two life rafts.
About two hours later, HMS PENNYWORT (K-111) and HMS ANEMONE (K-48) picked up 42 survivors and landed them at Gourock, Scotland. Five officers, eighteen men and five Armed Guards did not survive.

03.18.43 CANADIAN STAR Brit stmr 8,293 GRT
05.12.43 SANDANGER Norw tnkr 9,432 GRT

SHIPS DAMAGED BY U-221 UNDER TROJER

03.10.43 LAWTON B. EVANS Amer stmr 7,197 GRT
There is some question if this or another ship was the victim of the attack.