View source for Wolfpack Leuthen

{{infobox military unit
|unit_name=Wolf pack ''Leuthen''
|dates=15 Sep 1943 - 24 Sep 1943
|country={{flag|Nazi Germany}}
|branch=[[Kriegsmarine]]
|role=
|size=20 submarines
|command_structure=
|battles=
|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|notable_commanders=[[Siegfried Freiherr von Forstner]] 
}}

'''''Leuthen''''' was the given name to a [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]] of [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[U-boat]]s that operated during the [[World War II]] [[Battle of the Atlantic]] in 1943 from 15 to 24 September 1943<ref>{{cite web
 |url       =http://www.uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/136.html
 |title     =Wolfpack Leuthen
 |publisher =uboat.net
 |access-date=31 May 2015
}}</ref>

==Service history==
''Leuthen'' was formed in September 1943 and was established to renew the attack on the North Atlantic route. 
Following the defeats of May 1943, and the devastating losses incurred by the [[U-boat Arm]] (''U-Bootwaffe'', UBW) then, [[Karl Dönitz|Admiral Dönitz]] had withdrawn from attacks on the North Atlantic route while awaiting tactical and technical improvements.
By September 1943 these were ready.

''Leuthen'' operated against convoys [[Convoy ONS 18|ONS 18]] and [[Convoy ON 202|ON 202]], which were travelling together; [[U-boat]]s from ''Leuthen'' sank 6 ships of {{GRT|36,442}} and 3 escorts in this battle, but lost 3 boats ( ''U-229'', ''U-338'', and ''U-341'') destroyed, and 3 forced to return with damage, in attacks by aircraft and surface vessels.

''Leuthen'' was disbanded after this assault, at the end of September; of the remaining 15 boats, 3 returned to base and 12 formed the core of a new patrol line, code-named [[Wolf pack Rossbach|''Rossbach'']].

===Raiding History===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Date
! U-boat
! Commander
! Name of ship
! Nationality
! Tons
! Convoy
! Fate
|-
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#20 September|''Frederick Douglass'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right" |7,176
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Damaged
|-
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-645||2}}
|align="left"  |Otto Ferro 
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#20 September|''Frederick Douglass'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right" |7,176
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-305||2}}
|align="left"  |Rudolf Bahr
|align="left"  |{{HMCS|St. Croix|I81|6}}
|align="left"  |{{navy|Canada|1868}}
|align="right" |1,190
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-270||2}}
|align="left"  |Paul-Friedrich Otto 
|align="left"  |{{HMS|Lagan|K259|6}}
|align="left"  |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="right" |1,370
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Total loss
|-
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#20 September|''Theodore Dwight Weld'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right" |7,176
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |21 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-952||2}}
|align="left"  |Oskar Curio
|align="left"  |{{HMS|Polyanthus|K47|6}}
|align="left"  |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="right" |925
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#23 September|''Fort Jemseg'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right" |7,134
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-666||2}}
|align="left"  |Herbert Engel
|align="left"  |{{HMS|Itchen|K227|6}}
|align="left"  |{{navy|United Kingdom}}
|align="right" |1,370
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-952||2}}
|align="left"  |Oskar Curio
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#23 September|''James Gordon Bennett'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right" |7,176
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Damaged
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#23 September|''Oregon Express'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="right" |3,642
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#23 September|''Skjelbred'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="right" |5,096
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|-
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="center"|{{GS|U-952||2}}
|align="left"  |Oskar Curio
|align="left"  |[[List of shipwrecks in September 1943#23 September|''Steel Voyager'']]
|align="left"  |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right" |6,198
|align="left"  |ON 202
|align="left"  |Sunk
|}

===U-boats===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! U-boat
! Commander
! From
! To
! Notes
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-229||2}}
|align="left"  |Robert Schetelig
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="left" |Destroyed; depth-charge, gunfire and ramming by HMS ''Keppel''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-238||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Hepp<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/462.html|title=Horst Hepp|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |Returned to base
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-260||2}}
|align="left"  |Hubertus Purkhold<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/951.html|title=Hubertus Purkhold|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-270||2}}
|align="left"  |Paul-Friedrich Otto<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/902.html|title=Paul-Friedrich Otto|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |23 September 1943
|align="left" |Returned to base
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-275||2}}
|align="left"  |Helmut Bork<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/110.html|title=Helmut Bork|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-305||2}}
|align="left"  |Rudolf Bahr<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/30.html|title=Rudolf Bahr|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-338||2}}
|align="left"  |Manfred Kinzel<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/608.html|title=Manfred Kinzel|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |20 September 1943
|align="left" |Destroyed; Liberator F/120Sqdn, HMCS ''Drumheller''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-341||2}}
|align="left"  |Dietrich Epp<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/256.html|title=Dietrich Epp|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |19 September 1943
|align="left" |Destroyed; depth-charge by Liberator A/10Sqdn RCAF
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-377||2}}
|align="left"  |Gerhard Kluth<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/618.html|title=Gerhard Kluth|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |22 September 1943
|align="left" |Returned to base
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-378||2}}
|align="left"  |Erich Mäder<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/770.html|title=Erich Mäder|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-386||2}}
|align="left"  |Fritz Albrecht<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/8.html|title=Fritz Albrecht|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |21 September 1943
|align="left" |Returned to base
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-402||2}}
|align="left"  |[[Siegfried von Forstner]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/forstner.html|title= Siegfried von Forstner (Knight's Cross)|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-422||2}}
|align="left"  |Wolfgang Poeschel<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/933.html|title= Wolfgang Poeschel|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |Returned to base; destroyed ''en route'' 4 October 1943
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-584||2}}
|align="left"  |Joachim Deecke<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/194.html|title= Joachim Deecke|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-603||2}}
|align="left"  |Rudolf Baltz<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/36.html|title= Rudolf Baltz|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-641||2}}
|align="left"  |Horst Rendtel<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/995.html|title= Horst Rendtel|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-645||2}}
|align="left"  |Otto Ferro<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/277.html|title= Otto Ferro|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-666||2}}
|align="left"  |Herbert Engel<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/254.html|title= Herbert Engel|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-731||2}}
|align="left"  |Werner Techand<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/1263.html|title= Werner Techand|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-758||2}}
|align="left"  |Helmut Manseck<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/783.html|title= Helmut Manseck|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|align="center"|{{GS|U-952||2}}
|align="left"  |Oskar Curio<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uboat.net/men/commanders/180.html|title= Oskar Curio|publisher=u-boat.net|access-date=31 May 2015}}</ref>
|align="right" |15 September 1943
|align="right" |24 September 1943
|align="left" |to group ''Rossbach''
|-
|}

==The name==
The name "Leuthen" was a reference to the [[battle of Leuthen]] fought by [[Frederick the Great]] during the [[Seven Years' War]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Showell|first=Jak P M|title=''U-Boat Warfare: The Evolution of the Wolf-Pack''|year=2002|publisher=Ian Allan |isbn=0-7110-2887-7}}

{{Uboat}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leuthen}}
[[Category:Wolfpacks of 1943]]
[[Category:1943 establishments in Germany|Wolfpack Leuthen]]