German submarine U-653

German submarine U-653 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 9 April 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 802, launched on 22 March 1941 and commissioned on 25 May 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Feiler.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-653 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-653 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The boat's career began with training at 1st U-boat Flotilla on 25 May 1941, followed by active service on 1 December 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla for the remainder of her service.

In nine patrols she sank three merchant ships, for a total of, and one warship of 840 tons.

Wolfpacks
U-653 took part in 15 wolfpacks, namely
 * Pfadfinder (21 May 1942 – 27 May 1942)
 * Blücher (14 August 1942 – 18 August 1942)
 * Natter (2 November 1942 – 8 November 1942)
 * Westwall (8 November 1942 – 16 December 1942)
 * Hartherz (3 February 1943 – 7 February 1943)
 * Ritter (11 February 1943 – 26 February 1943)
 * Burggraf (4 March 1943 – 5 March 1943)
 * Raubgraf (7 March 1943 – 15 March 1943)
 * Coronel (4 December 1943 – 8 December 1943)
 * Coronel 1 (8 December 1943 – 14 December 1943)
 * Coronel 2 (14 December 1943 – 17 December 1943)
 * Föhr (18 December 1943 – 23 December 1943)
 * Rügen 6 (23 December 1943 – 28 December 1943)
 * Rügen 7 (28 December 1943 – 2 January 1944)
 * Rügen 6 (2 January 1944 – 5 January 1944)
 * Preussen (4 March 1944 – 15 March 1944)

Convoy ON 166
In a determined attack, between 22:00 on 23 February 1943 and daybreak the following morning, U-653, together with GS U-92 (1942), GS U-600 and GS U-628, came in one after the other against Convoy ON 166.

U-653 fired seven torpedoes at, and missed, the British freighter Delilian, but succeeded in striking the 9,382-GRT Dutch motor vessel Madoera. Against the odds, Madoera stayed afloat and reached St. John’s seven days later, but not before some of her crew had abandoned ship and made for the lifeboats. This resulted in the Dutch ship’s chief officer being captured by GS U-591.

Fate
U-653 was sunk on 15 March 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 53.76667°N, -24.58333°W, by depth charges from Fleet Air Arm Swordfish, HMS Starling (U66) and HMS Wild Goose (U45). All hands were lost.