German submarine U-879

German submarine U-879 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-879 was ordered in April 1942 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen under the yard number 1087. Her keel was laid down on 16 June 1942 and the U-boat was launched the following year on 11 January 1944. She was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant Erwin Manchen (Crew 36) in 4th U-boat Flotilla.

U-879 was transferred to 33rd U-boat Flotilla after completing training and work up for deployment. She left her base in Horten on 9 February 1945 for operations off the US east coast. Since another U-boat, GS U-857 was operating at the same time in the vicinity, it is not clear, which ships were attacked U-879 or the other U-boat, which is missing. The US tanker Atlantic States was probably hit and damaged on 5 April 1945, while the Belgian steamer Belgian Airman and the US tanker Swiftscout may have been sunk by U-879 on 14 and 18 April respectively. The Norwegian tanker Katy might have been hit and damaged on 23 April.

Late on 29 April a U-boat was picked up by escorts of convoy KN 382. USS Natchez (PF-2) tried to ram her but missed. Natchez with three more escorts, USS Coffmann (DE-191), USS Thomas (DE-102), and USS Bostwick (DE-103), chased the contact for several hours with depth charges and hedgehogs. In the early hours of 30 April, a strong explosion was heard and the contact disappeared. Only in 1968 a wreck was discovered, confirming the sinking of an U-boat. It is assumed that the U-boat in question was U-879, but there are indicators that it might have been U-857 instead.