U 352 was laid down 3. november 1940 at Flensburger Schiffsbau in Germany, and was launched 5. january 1941. She was put in service under KãpitanLeutnant Hellmut Ratke 28. august 1941 and transferred to 3. Unterseeboot Flotille. In february 1942, U 352 is transferred to St. Nazaire in France and sent on patrol as a front boat on the east coast of USA. 9. may 1942 they are in position outside Cape Hatteras in North Carolina when they attack an american vessel. Two torpedoes are launched, but both of them misses the ship that turns out to be the coast guard ship USS Icarus. Icarus turns quickly and attack U 352. Icarus launches five depth charges that destroys the conning tower and the deck gun on U 352, and after additional two depth charges, Hellmut Rathke is forced to give the order to surface. Rathke order to abandon ship. While the crew tries to abandon the submarine, USS Icarus continues to fire on U 352. By the crew of 48 men, 15 perish during the incident. The survivors are transported to Charleston as prisoners of war. U 352 laid herself at rest on a depth of thirty to thirty five meters, and stands today on her keel with a listing towards starboard..