Which Submarine Sank the Most Aircraft Carriers During World War II
The role of submarines during World War II was profoundly impactful, and their contributions extended far beyond sinking merchant ships. Many nations employed submarines to target surface vessels, including aircraft carriers. However, a surprising fact emerges: no submarine from any combatant nation succeeded in sinking more than one aircraft carrier.
Record-Breaking Submarines and Their Impressive Feats
Among the record-breaking submarine achievements, the USS Archerfish holds the distinction of sinking the largest carrier. On November 29, 1944, this American submarine dispatched the IJN Shinano, a colossal conversion carrier built from the hull of the third Yamato class battleship. Even though the Shinano remained the largest tonnage carrier ever launched for only 10 days before the US Forrestal-class supercarriers entered service, the USS Archerfish's feat stands as the epitome of submarine warfare prowess.
German U-Boats: Unmatched Sinking Records
A German submarine, U-48, set a remarkable record for sinking 51 ships and 306,874 tons of enemy shipping in the Atlantic. On the other hand, the most successful US submarine, the Tang, accounted for 36 ships and 116,454 tons of shipping. These statistics highlight the contrasting capabilities and successes of different submarine forces during the war.
Royal Navy Submarines: Unmatched Tonnage Sinking
Regarding the Royal Navy, there is one submarine that stands out: HMS Tally Ho. This submarine was credited with sinking the most tonnage in its theater. In fact, HMS Tally Ho sank more tonnage than all other Royal Navy submarines combined, leading to a significant impact on the war effort. However, this came with a personal cost; the crew never fully recovered from the carnage they unleashed.
Understanding the Data: Sinking Tonnage vs. Number of Ships
While it is tempting to rank submarines based on their number of sinkings or tonnage of ships they sank, the distinction becomes blurred when it comes to warships specifically. Submarines typically targeted merchant ships rather than warships, leading to debate over what constitutes a valid "warship sink" in the context of World War II.
U-Boats and Royal Navy Sinking Records
Using a data set from the table at Ships hit by U-boats during WWII, we can explore the records of U-boats targeting Royal Navy ships. According to the table, the submarine U-99 (Otto Kretschmer) boasts the highest tonnage of sinkings, at 46,440 tons. This includes three armed merchant cruisers: HMS Laurentic (18,724 tons), HMS Patroclus (11,314 tons), and HMS Forfar (16,402 tons). However, whether these ships are considered "warships" is a matter of debate.
U-331: Sinking the Largest Single Warship
Another submarine, U-331 (Hans-Hartwig Trojer), sank the highest tonnage of real warships. The submarine dispatched the Boreham (31,100 tons) carrying the Royal Navy battleship HMS Barham. Although it is the highest tonnage of a single warship, it is still the work of a single submarine.
U-22 and U-221: Multi-Sink Successes
Other submarines, such as U-22 and U-221, achieved success in sinking multiple vessels. U-22 sank three warships: a decommissioned ship being towed to be a blockship, an auxiliary minesweeper, and an E-class destroyer. Notably, U-221 (Hans-Hartwig Trojer) sank 10 landing craft, making it the submarine with the most "warship" sinkings, although only 364 tons in total.
Conclusion
In summary, while various submarines achieved impressive feats in World War II, none sank more than one aircraft carrier. The records of sinking ships vary greatly depending on the criteria used, such as tonnage or the number of vessels. Submarines like the USS Archerfish, U-48, and U-99 exhibited exceptional prowess, making significant impacts on the war effort.