German submarine U-153 (1941)

German submarine U-153 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II. The keel for this boat was laid down on 12 September 1940 at the AG Weser yard in Bremen, Germany as 'werk' 995. She was launched on 5 April 1941 and commissioned on 19 July under the command of Korvettenkapitän Wilfried Reichmann.

The submarine began her service life with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla; moving on to the 2nd flotilla for operations. She conducted two patrols, sinking three ships.

She was sunk by an American destroyer in July 1942.

1st patrol
The boat's first patrol began with her departure from Kiel on 18 May 1942. After a brief stop in Kristiansand in Norway, she headed for the Atlantic Ocean via the gap between the Faroe and Shetland Islands. After a long southwest, south and southeast sweep, she docked at Lorient in occupied France, on the 30th.

2nd patrol and loss
She sank the Anglo-Canadian on 25 June 1942 800 mi northeast of Antigua. The survivors were helped to lifeboats and received water and cigarettes. The following day, she sank the Potlatch, about 650 mi east of the Virgin Islands. She also sank the Ruth on the 29th about 320 mi north northeast of Barbuda.

U-153 was attacked by US A-20a aircraft of the 59th Bomb Squadron, USAAF on 6 July 1942 in the eastern Caribbean. She was sunk on the 13th near Colón, not far from the entrance to the Panama Canal, by the American destroyer USS Landsdowne.