German submarine U-976

German submarine U-976 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was ordered on 5 June 1941, and was laid down on 9 July 1942 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, as yard number 176. She was launched on 25 March 1943 and commissioned under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Raimund Tiesler on 5 May 1943.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-976 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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 as low as 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-976 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes or 26 TMA mines, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between 44 — 52 men.

Service history
On 25 March 1944, U-976 was sunk by aerial gunfire southwest of St. Nazaire, France, in the Bay of Biscay. U-976 was attacked by four British Mosquito FB VIs and two Mosquito FB.XVIIIs (nicknamed Tsetse), armed with 6-pounder 57 mm cannon, of 248 Squadron RAF. Forty-nine of the crew of fifty-three survived.

The wreck is located at 46.5°N, -2.41°W.

Wolfpacks
U-976 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:
 * Coronel 1 (14 – 17 December 1943)
 * Amrum (18 – 23 December 1943)
 * Rügen 4 (23 – 28 December 1943)
 * Rügen 6 (28 December 1943 – 2 January 1944)
 * Rügen 5 (2 – 7 January 1944)
 * Rügen (7 – 26 January 1944)