The flotilla was first formed in Salamis, Greece, on 11 September 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Fritz Frauenheim. It operated in the eastern Mediterranean and sank 12 ships for a total of 50,820 gross register tons (GRT). In May 1942 the flotilla was merged into 29th U-boat Flotilla, based at La Spezia, Italy.[1]