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</script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-763</h1> </div> <div align="center"> <table class="table_subtle width650"><tr> <td class="width100"><h3>Type</h3></td><td class="width95" align="center" class="seperator"><h3><a href="/types/viic.htm" class="header">VIIC</a></h3></td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Ordered</td><td class="seperator">15 Aug 1940</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">21 Jan 1941</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/kmw.htm">Kriegsmarinewerft (KMW), Wilhelmshaven</a> (werk 146)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">16 Jan 1943</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">13 Mar 1943</td><td class="seperator">Oblt. Ernst Cordes</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">13 Mar 1943</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">31 Oct 1944</td><td>  </td><td>Kptlt. <a href="/men/commanders/176.html"> Ernst Cordes</a> (<a href="/men/decorations/5.html">German Cross in Gold</a>) </td></tr><tr><td class="width85 right">Aug, 1944</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">Oct, 1944</td><td>  </td><td>Ltn. <a href="/men/commanders/126.html"> Kurt Braun</a></td></tr><tr><td class="width85 right">1 Nov 1944</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">29 Jan 1945</td><td>  </td><td>Oblt. <a href="/men/commanders/1136.html"> Karl-Heinz Schr枚ter</a></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u763.html">4 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">13 Mar 1943</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Oct 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/8flo.htm">8. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Nov 1943</td><td>-</td><td class="right">30 Sep 1944</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/3flo.htm">3. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Oct 1944</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Oct 1944</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/33flo.htm">33. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Nov 1944</td><td>-</td><td class="right">29 Jan 1945</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/24flo.htm">24. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">1 ship sunk, total tonnage 1,927 GRT</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>Scuttled on 29 January 1945 in the Schichau shipyard at K枚nigsberg because the unseaworthy boat could not be evacuated after being damaged by bombs during a Soviet air raid on 24 January. <em>(Axel Niestl茅, December 1994).</em></p> </td></tr> <tr><td>Loss position</td> <td colspan="3"> <style media="screen" type="text/css"> #mapFate {width:510px; height: 270px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;} </style> <div id="mapFate" align="center"></div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var mymap = L.map('mapFate').setView([55.42, 20.27], 4) L.tileLayer('/map-tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: 'map 漏 OpenStreetMap contributors | ship info by uboat.net', maxZoom: 10, }).addTo(mymap); var iconFate = L.icon({ iconUrl: '/media/maps/googlemarkers/orange_Marker.png', iconSize: [20, 34], iconAnchor: [10, 34], }); var marker = L.marker([54.70, 20.45], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-763</strong>. Scuttled on 29 January 1945 in the Schichau shipyard at K枚nigsberg because the unseaworthy boat could not be evacuated after being damaged by bombs during a Soviet air raid on 24 January.'); </script> </td> </tr> </table>  <p class="np"><a href="/boats/successes/u763.html">See the 1 ships hit by U-763</a> - <a href="/boats/patrols/u763.html">View the 4 war patrols</a><br></p> </div> <h3>Wolfpack operations</h3> <p>U-763 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career: <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/166.html">R眉gen 3</a> (28 Dec 1943 - 31 Dec 1943) </p> <h3>Attacks on this boat and other events</h3> <div class="content_box"> <p><strong>4 Feb 1944</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: 0821hrs, <a href="/maps/biscay.htm">Bay of Biscay</a>, NNW of Cape Finisterre, inbound: British <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">B-24 Liberator</a> BZ795 (53 Sqn RAF/F, pilot Sgt T.A. Patey)</p><p> The aircraft was shot down with the loss of all seven aircrew. Depth charges that were dropped did no damage.</p> <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>5 Feb 1944</strong><br/>0135hrs, <a href="/maps/biscay.htm">Bay of Biscay</a>, NE of Cape Ferrol: the inbound boat was attacked by British <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">B-24 Liberator</a> BZ815 (53 Sqn RAF/D, pilot P/O L.L. Esler, RCAF). U-763's Naxos apparatus detected the aircraft radar, and accurate AA fire damaged its tail during the attack run. The depth charges missed, and Aphrodite decoys successfully diverted the aircraft from further attacks. <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>5 Feb 1944</strong><br/>0215hrs, <a href="/maps/biscay.htm">Bay of Biscay</a>, NNE of Cape Ferrol: the inbound boat was attacked by British <a href="/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm">Wellington</a> HF282 (172 Sqn RAF/M, pilot F/O C.S. Rowland). Both wings, the fuselage and the tail were hit by flak, and the aircraft was forced to return to base after its depth charges exploded astern of U-763 without effect. <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>5 Feb 1944</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British <a href="/allies/aircraft/halifax.htm">Halifax</a> bomber (502 Sqn RAF/R, pilot F/O F.T. Culling-Mannix, RNZAF)</p><p> 22.05 hrs, <a href="/maps/biscay.htm">Bay of Biscay</a>, west of Bordeaux, inbound: repeated AA hits were scored on the Halifax during its first attack run, and it crashed, killing the crew of eight.</p> <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>5 Jul 1944</strong><br/>U-763, having attacked convoy <a href="/ops/convoys/convoys.php?convoy=ETC-26">ETC-26</a> in the English Channel, managed to escape despite being hunted for 30 hours during which a staggering total of 550 depth charges were dropped. <cite>(Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 587)</cite></p> <p><strong>24 Sep 1944</strong><br/>The target of the attack by British <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">B-24 Liberator</a> (224 Sqn RAF/A) on 24 September 1944 at 61.00N, 04.07E, just off Sognefjord, north of Bergen, formerly credited with sinking U-855, was actually U-763, which escaped with moderate damage. <cite>(Sources: 1987-09-01, FDS/NHB)</cite></p> <p>6 recorded attacks on this boat.</p> </div> <h3>General notes on this boat</h3><p><strong>23 Aug 1944</strong>. Ltnt. Kurt Braun as acting commander brought <a href="/boats/u763.htm">U-763</a> from La Pallice in France via Bergen, Norway to Flensburg in Germany to join the 33rd U-Flotilla. He celebrated his 21st birthday on 23 Aug, 1944, four days out from La Pallice.</p> <h3>Schnorchel-fitted U-boat</h3><p>This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in April 1944. </p><p>Read more about the <a href="/technical/schnorchel.htm">Schnorchel</a> and see list of <a href="/technical/schnorchel_fitted.htm">fitted boats</a>.</p> <h3>Men lost from U-boats</h3> <p>Unlike <a href="/men/men_lost.htm">many other U-boats</a>, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-763 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 3 <strong>emblem</strong> entries for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u763.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem33.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u1195.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Prancing Unicorn - U-763</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem120.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u763.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>2 Aircraft</a></td> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem221.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/u763_shield.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>White shield with Black Cross</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/525"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/german_u-boat_losses.jpg" alt="" /> <br>German U-Boat Losses During World War II</a><br>Niestle, Axel</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/270"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/538"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/284"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boats_vs_aircraft.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Versus Aircraft</a><br>Franks, Norman and Zimmerman, Eric</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/490"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/dark_sky_deep_water.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Dark Sky, Deep Water</a><br>Franks, Norman</p></td></tr> </table> </div> <br><br>  <p class='center'><br/>As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.</p> <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div>  <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright">  © 1995 - 2024 Guðmundur Helgason </div> </div>  </div>  </body></html>