German submarine U-132 (1941)

German submarine U-132 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for the Nazi German Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 10 August 1940 by Vegesacker Werft, Bremen-Vegesack as 'werk' 11, launched on 10 April 1941 and commissioned on 29 May that year under Oberleutnant Ernst Vogelsang.

In four patrols, U-132 sank eight ships for a total of. She was a member of three wolfpacks. The submarine was lost after an attack on Convoy SC-107 in November 1942.

1st patrol
U-132 departed on her first patrol when she left Trondheim in Norway on 7 September 1941. Rounding the North Cape, she criss-crossed that part of the Barents Sea northwest of Murmansk before heading further east. She sank two Soviet ships, the Argun and the RT-8 Seld on 18 October.

The boat docked in Kirkenes, also in Norway, on 21 October.

2nd patrol
Having moved from Kirkenes back to Trondheim in late October 1941, U-132 commenced her second foray on 15 January 1942. Her route took her due west through the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands to a point 10 mi west of Reykjavík. Here she sank the United States Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton on the 29th.

She then moved to the port of La Pallice in occupied France, arriving on 8 February.

3rd patrol
The boat's most successful patrol began when she left La Pallice on 10 June 1942. Having crossed the Atlantic Ocean, she was attacked by the Canadian minesweeper HMCS Drummondville shortly after torpedoing the Dinaric (see below), in the St. Lawrence Seaway. The warship's depth charges damaged the U-boat's ballast pumps and resulted in the loss of 4 m³ of fuel. She sank three ships in short order, the Anastossios Pateras, the Hainaut and the Dinaric, all southeast of Cap Chat, Quebec on 6 July.

Fourteen days later, the submarine attacked the Frederika Lensen near Anticosti Island. The ship was towed to Grand Valée Bay and beached, but with her back broken, she was declared a total loss.

The boat returned to La Pallice on 16 August.

4th patrol and loss
U-132 left La Pallice for the last time on 6 October 1942. Operating southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland), she was triumphant after sinking the Hobbema and the Empire Lynx, but was sunk, probably by falling debris from the ammunition ship Haitmura when that vessel exploded, following an attack by U-132 and U-442 on 4 November.

47 men died with the U-boat; there were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate
Sunk on 5 November 1942 southeast of Cape Farewell by British aircraft of No. 120 Squadron RAF. This attack was on U-89 and caused severe damage to her.

Summary of Raiding Career
* Credit for sinking this vessel belongs to U-442