German submarine U-381

German submarine U-381 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the Nazi German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She failed to return in May 1943 and was declared missing in unknown circumstances.

The boat was laid down on 26 April 1941 at the Howaldswerke in Kiel as 'werk' 12, launched on 14 January 1942 and commissioned on 25 February; Kapitänleutnant Graf Wilhelm-Heinrich Pückler und Limburg was her CO throughout her career. She did not sink any ships.

She began her service life in the 5th U-boat Flotilla, a training organization, between 25 February 1942 and 30 September of the same year, before moving on to the 7th flotilla for operations.

1st patrol
U381's first sortie took her from Kiel to a point three-quarters of the way across the Atlantic before steaming empty-handed to St. Nazaire in France.

2nd patrol
Her next patrol was no better, starting and finishing in St. Nazaire between 19 December 1942 and 19 February 1943, (a total of 63 days at sea). She was unsuccessfully attacked on the return leg west of Portugal by a Catalina flying boat of 202 squadron, RAF.

3rd patrol and loss
U-371's third patrol ended abruptly after 52 days when she was sunk with the loss of all hands on 21 May 1943 (probably). She was lost in mid-Atlantic (south of Greenland) through unknown circumstances.