Type: VII-C
Built by: Germania Werft (Kiel)
Launched: 28 March 1942
Commissioned: 9 May 1942
Feldpost Nr: M00832
Sunk: 2 September 1942
Sunk by: another U-Boat
Location sunk: off Danzig
Position sunk: 54º 25’N x 19º 50’E

The only Skipper of U-222 was Oberleutnant zur See Rolf von Jessen. During training and sea trials, U-222 was attached to the 8th U-Bootflottille based in Danzig. She was rammed and sunk by another U-Boat accidentally during training exercises.

From notes from Captain BOB THEW (333-+-1987) : “Late in the evening of 2 September 1942, U-222 was rammed on the surface by another submarine. Except for three men on the bridge who were thrown clear, there were no survivors. Rescue ships were dispatched but she was down in 93 meters (about 300 feet) and there was nothing they could do. No sounds were detected from U-222.”

In 1992, a veteran who had trained aboard U-222 wrote to another U-Boat veteran, both American citizens:

“I saw in the last May/June Sharkhunters issue that you had some questions about General Paulus. I will be glad to answer them to you as far as I am possible to do because I think very highly of him, as so did my uncle, the Field Marschall E. v. Mannstein. I think that you should read his book “Lost Victories”. At the West Point Academy it is a must that you read it.

Not because he’s an uncle of mine, he’s less known overall as Rommel but was higher rated as him. His trouble was that he had to get the “Kastanien aus dem Feuer” which others had thrown in.

EDITOR NOTE – He had to get the “Chestnuts out of the fire”

Back to General Paulus. He was betrayed by Hitler very much, maybe more also by Göring. He came back to Germany in about 1956. I was then already here in the States. I myself was 4 years in Russian prison camp as I told you. He for sure tried to help us there, but never betrayed Germany.

He, after being so badly betrayed by Hitler, had no likes for him anymore and so his First Chief of Staff A-1 General v. Seydlitz. When he returned, the damn Press even tried to push the people up against him and he died broken hearted.

I hope that I may see you again this trip to Germany. I have to be there in August to late October. We have a reunion of the old military cadet school by Berlin and I have to see my relatives, friends from school and U-Boot times – also a class reunion from grammar school etc. etc.

And I am not getting any younger – and with all the trouble I have from the wartime and the accident when I was working, I will not be able to go every year to Germany anymore. It would be nice if one day you would show up here too.”

This veteran from U-222, TOM POSER (322-+-1987), never had that meeting with the other veterans as TOM began his “Eternal Patrol” shortly after he wrote this.

U-222 was lost during training, so she was never posted as a Front Boot and never saw combat, but an entire crew less three men died.