USCG Spencer sinks U-175

17th April 1943: A dramatic sequence of images tells the story of a successful U-Boat hunt in mid Atlantic

‘These ships in the convoy being shielded by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC SPENCER (WPG-36) steam past the warship just before the latter detects the undersea raider and swings into action.’

On 6th April 1943 the 56-ship convoy HX-233 left New York headed for Liverpool, England.

Heinrich Brun (1912-1943), responsible for sinking 40,000 tons, including five US ships.

On the 10th April U-175, captained by Heinrich Bruns, just promoted to Korvettenkapitän, left Lorient in France and headed out on her third patrol. Bruns had sunk nine ships on his first patrol - and had been awarded the Iron Cross, First Class - but only one ship on his second.

United States Coast Guard Cutter Spencer (WPG-36) during WWII in 1942 or 1943. Spencer sank the German submarine U-175 on April 17, 1943.

On the 11th USCGC Spencer left the Canadian port of St John’s to take over from the local escort to the convoy on the 12th¹: