German submarine U-372

German submarine U-372 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 November 1939 by Kriegsmarinewerft Kiel as construction number 3, launched on 8 March 1941 and commissioned on 19 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Joachim Neumann.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-372 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-372 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 a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 19 April 1941, followed by active service on 1 July 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla until 13 December 1941, when she joined 29th U-boat Flotilla for operations in the Mediterranean.

In 6 patrols she sank 3 merchant ships, for a total of, and HMS Medway, a , valuable submarine depot ship.

Fate
U-372 was sunk on 4 August 1942 in the Mediterranean, SW of Haifa, in position 32.46667°N, 34.61667°W, by depth charges from Royal Navy destroyers HMS Sikh (F82), HMS Zulu (F18), HMS Croome (L62), HMS Tetcott (L99) and an RAF Wellington bomber piloted by F/O Gordon L. MacIntyre DFC. All hands survived.

Wolfpacks
U-372 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
 * Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
 * Störtebecker (16 – 19 November 1941)
 * Steuben (19 November – 2 December 1941)