U-181

Type

IXD2

Ordered

15 Aug 1940

Laid down

15 Mar 1941

AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1021)

Launched

30 Dec 1941

Commissioned

9 May 1942

Kptlt. Wolfgang Lüth (Knights Cross)

Commanders

9 May 1942	-	31 Oct 1943		KrvKpt. Wolfgang Lüth (Knights Cross)
1 Nov 1943	-	5 May 1945		Kpt. Kurt Freiwald

Career
4 patrols

9 May 1942	-	30 Sep 1942	4. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1942	-	31 Oct 1942	10. Flottille (active service)
1 Nov 1942	-	30 Sep 1944	12. Flottille (active service)
1 Oct 1944	-	5 May 1945	33. Flottille (active service)

Successes

27 ships sunk, total tonnage 138,779 GRT

Fate

Taken over by Japan at Singapore on 5 May 1945 and became the Japanese submarine I 501 on 15 July 1945.

Post war information (see more post-war boats):
On 15 Feb 1946 (GMT), towed by HM Tug Assiduous to the Straits of Malacca, off Singapore, where U-181 (I-501) was scuttled (alongside I 502 / U-862) by the frigate HMS Loch Glendhu.

Loss position

Blue marker shows the final fate of the boat after the war. Orange marker shows German surrender. Map is click-able and zoom-able.

See the 27 ships hit by U-181 - View the 4 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-181 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Without name (27 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)

Men lost from the boat

11 Apr 1943
The new 37mm anti-aircraft cannon on U-181 exploded in action while on patrol in the South Atlantic killing one man and wounding two more. [Matrosengefreiter Wilhelm Williger]

Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -