U-130

U-130. It was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Commissioned in mid-1941, the vessel conducted five war patrols under the command of Korvettenkapitän Ernst Kals, becoming one of the more successful boats of its type. Its service was marked by significant successes in the Battle of the Atlantic and off the coast of North Africa before being lost in action in 1943.

Service history

The keel for U-130 was laid on 20 August 1940 at the AG Weser shipyard in Bremen. Following its launch on 14 March 1941, the boat was commissioned into the Kriegsmarine on 11 June 1941 under the command of Ernst Kals. After completing initial training with the 4th U-boat Flotilla in Stettin, it was assigned to the 2nd U-boat Flotilla based in Lorient, France, for front-line operations. Following Kals's promotion, command later passed to Kapitänleutnant Siegfried Keller.

Design and specifications

As a Type IXC boat, U-130 was a larger ocean-going submarine designed for long-range patrols. It had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes surfaced and 1,232 tonnes submerged, with an overall length of 76.76 meters. Propulsion was provided by MAN diesel engines and Siemens-Schuckert electric motors, allowing a surface speed of 18.2 knots and a submerged speed of 7.3 knots. Its armament consisted of six torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) and carried a complement of 22 torpedoes, supplemented by a 10.5 cm deck gun and anti-aircraft weaponry. The boat had a range of over 13,000 nautical miles at 10 knots on the surface.

Operational career

U-130’s operational career began in the North Atlantic, where it scored initial successes against Allied convoys. In early 1942, it was transferred to operate off the eastern coast of North America as part of Operation Drumbeat, attacking shipping from Newfoundland to the Caribbean. Its most notable action occurred during Operation Torch in November 1942, when, under Keller's command, it penetrated the Allied invasion fleet off Morocco at Fedala. In a daring surface attack, it torpedoed and sank three large United States Navy transports—the USS *Edward Rutledge*, USS *Tasker H. Bliss*, and USS *Hugh L. Scott*—causing significant disruption. The boat also conducted minelaying operations and engaged in refueling operations with supply U-boats.

Fate

On 12 March 1943, while on its fifth patrol in the North Atlantic east of Newfoundland, U-130 was attacked and sunk with all hands lost. The attacker was the United States Navy destroyer escort USS *Champlin*, which was part of the escort for Convoy SC 121. *Champlin* made a sonar contact and delivered a sustained depth charge attack, resulting in the destruction of the U-boat at approximate coordinates 50°10′N 35°30′W. No survivors from U-130's crew of 53 were recovered.

Summary of raiding history

During its service, U-130 sank 21 merchant ships and three naval auxiliaries for a total of 127,608 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged another vessel of 6,736 GRT. Its most significant single engagement was the sinking of the three troopships during Operation Torch, accounting for over 34,000 GRT. The boat’s successes were achieved across the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea, and near the Canary Islands, operating against convoys such as SC 67 and ON 113. Its commanding officer, Ernst Kals, was later awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his leadership.