USS Fechteler (DE-157)

Casualty List

 
Navy US Navy
Type Destroyer
Pennant DE 157 
Built by Norfolk Navy Yard (Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.A.) 
Laid down 7 Feb 1943 
Launched 22 Apr 1943 
Commissioned 1 Jul 1943 
Lost 5 May 1944 
Loss position 36.07N, 02.40W (120 miles northwest of Oran, Algeria)
History  
  At 03.54 hours on 5 May 1944, U-967 fired a Gnat at the convoy GUS-38 about  and reported a hit on a medium-sized ship after 11 minutes 58 seconds, but this was probably an end-of-run detonation. The American destroyer escort USS Laning (DE 159) located the U-boat after the unsuccessful attack and started an attack run, but U-967 fired a Gnat at the escort ships at 04.41 hours, hitting the USS Fechteler amidships in position 36º07'N, 02º40'W. The explosion lifted the ship out of the water and broke her in two, most crew members abandoned ship before both parts sank. 29 crew members died and 26 were injured. USS Laning then picked up the survivors together with other escort ships.  

Hit by U-boat
Sunk on 5 May 1944 by U-967 (Brandi).

 

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