 She sailed on three war patrols and sank only one ship before being sunk by a RNZAF plane on 11 August 1943.The airplane pilot (who died in the action, along with his crew and most of the submariners) was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross - the only occasion on which a VC has been awarded solely on the testimony of an enemy combatant.German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines.