German submarine U-361

German submarine U-361 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out three patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.

She was a member of six wolfpacks.

She was sunk by a British aircraft west of Narvik on 17 July 1944.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-361 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-361 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The submarine was laid down on 12 September 1941 at the Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft yard at Flensburg as yard number 480, launched on 9 September 1942 and commissioned on 18 December under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Seidel.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 18 December 1942 and the 11th flotilla from 1 March 1944.

First patrol
U-359's first patrol took her from Kiel in Germany to Narvik in Norway.

Second patrol
Her second foray was toward Bear Island in the Barents Sea, then into the Norwegian Sea.

Third patrol and loss
U-361 left Narvik for the last time on 27 June 1944. On 17 July, she was attacked by a British Catalina flying boat of No. 210 Squadron RAF. On the initial attack, the Catalina's depth charges failed to release, and U-361s crew were able to fire their anti-aircraft gun, hitting the aeroplane as it attacked again, killing the navigator and injuring four others. The first pilot, John Cruickshank, was hit in seventy-two places, with two serious wounds to his lungs and ten penetrating wounds to his lower limbs. In this second attack, Cruikshank's depth charges hit the U-361, sinking her. For his heroism in the attack, and in the five and a half hours until the Catalina returned to Sullum Voe, Cruickshank was awarded the Victoria Cross. There were no survivors of the U-boat's crew, all 52 men died.

Previously recorded fate
U-361 was originally noted as sunk on 17 July 1944 by a British B-24 Liberator of 86 Squadron. This attack sank GS U-347.

Wolfpacks
U-361 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:
 * Boreas (29 February – 10 March 1944)
 * Thor (10 – 26 March 1944)
 * Blitz (2 – 5 April 1944)
 * Keil (5 – 20 April 1944)
 * Donner & Keil (20 – 23 April 1944)
 * Trutz (28 June – 10 July 1944)