German submarine U-361

German submarine U-361 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out three patrols. She did not sink or damage any ships.

She was a member of six wolfpacks.

She was sunk by a British aircraft west of Narvik in July 1944.

Service history
The submarine was laid down on 12 September 1941 at the Flensburger Schiffsbau-Ges yard at Flensburg as 'werk' 480, launched on 9 September 1942 and commissioned on 18 December under the command of Kapitänleutnant Hans Seidel.

She served with the 8th U-boat Flotilla from 18 December 1943 and the 11th flotilla from 1 March 1944.

1st patrol
U-359's first patrol took her from Kiel in Germany to Narvik in Norway.

2nd patrol
Her second foray was toward Bear Island in the Barents Sea, then into the Norwegian Sea.

3rd patrol and loss
U-361 left Narvik for the last time on 27 June 1944. On 17 July, she was sunk by depth charges dropped by a British Catalina flying boat of No. 210 Squadron RAF. The pilot, Flying Officer John Cruickshank was awarded the Victoria Cross.

52 men died in the U-boat; there were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate
U-361 was originally noted as sunk on 17 July 1944 by a British B-24 Liberator of 86 Squadron. This attack sank U-347.