| German submarine U-544 | |
|---|---|
| Career (Nazi Germany) |  |
| Name: | U-544 |
| Ordered: | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder: | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 365 |
| Laid down: | 8 July 1942 |
| Launched: | 17 February 1943 |
| Commissioned: | 5 May 1943 |
| Fate: | Sunk, January 1944 northwest of the Azores by American aircraft[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Type IXC/40 submarine |
| Displacement: |
1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged |
| Length: |
76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) o/a 58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull |
| Beam: |
6.9 m (22 ft 8 in) o/a 4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull |
| Height: | 9.6 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draft: | 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) |
| Propulsion: |
2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,400 hp (3,281 kW) 2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW) |
| Speed: |
19 knots (35 km/h) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged |
| Range: |
25,620 nmi (47,450 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged |
| Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement: | 48 to 56 |
| Armament: |
• 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern) • 22 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedoes • 1 × Utof 105 mm/45 deck gun (110 rounds) • AA guns |
| Service record | |
|---|---|
| Part of: |
4th U-boat Flotilla (5 May–3 November 1943) 10th U-boat Flotilla (1 November 1943–16 January 1944) |
| Commanders: |
Krvtkpt. Willy Mattke (5 May 1943–16 January 1944) |
| Operations: | 9 November 1943–16 January 1944 |
| Victories: | None |
German submarine U-544 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.
She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 365 on 8 July 1942, launched on 17 February 1943 and commissioned on 5 May with Korvettenkapitän Willy Mattke in command.
U-544 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 5 May 1943. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 November.
She carried out one patrol and did not sink any ships. She was a member of five wolfpacks. She was sunk in January 1944 northwest of the Azores by American aircraft.
Operational career[]
Patrol and loss[]
The boat departed Kiel on 10 April 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean. She was sunk on 16 January 1944 northwest of the Azores by American aircraft from the escort carrier USS Guadalcanal using rockets and depth charges.
Fifty-seven men died; there were no survivors.[2]
References[]
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Notes[]
- ↑ Kemp, Paul: U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars, 1997, Arms & Armour, ISBN 1-85409-515-3, pp. 164 and 165
- ↑ Kemp, pp. 164 and 165
External links[]
- Uboat.net: U-544
- [1] U-544 at Ubootwaffe
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Coordinates: 40°30′N 37°20′W / 40.5°N 37.333°W
The original article can be found at German submarine U-544 and the edit history here.