German submarine U-504

Coordinates: 45°33′N 10°56′W / 45.550°N 10.933°W / 45.550; -10.933
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-504
Ordered25 September 1939
BuilderDeutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number294
Laid down29 April 1940
Launched24 April 1941
Commissioned30 July 1941
FateSunk on 30 July 1943
General characteristics
Class and type
Type IXC submarine
Displacement
  • 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length
  • 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in)
    o/a
  • 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in)
    pressure hull
Beam
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) surfaced
  • 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 45 926
Commanders:
  • Hans-Georg Friedrich Poske
  • 30 July 1941 – 5 January 1943
  • K.Kapt. Wilhelm Luis
  • 6 January – 30 July 1943
Operations:
  • 7 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 6 – 20 January 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 25 January – 1 April 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 2 May – 7 July 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • 19 August – 11 December 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 19 January – 24 March 1943
  • 6th patrol:
  • 21 April – 29 May 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • 27 – 30 July 1943
Victories:
  • 15 merchant ships sunk
    (78,123 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship total loss
    (7,176 GRT)
U-504 Submarine Speed Dial

German submarine U-504 was a

Hans-Georg Friedrich "Fritz" Poske. Initially attached to the 4th U-boat Flotilla for training, the U-boat was transferred to the 2nd flotilla on 1 January 1942 for front-line service.[1] She was a member of six wolfpacks
.

Design

supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[3]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).

2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[3]

Service history

First patrol

U-504's first war patrol took her from Kiel in Germany, to her home port of Lorient, in occupied France, between 6 and 20 January 1942 without incident.[4]

Second patrol

On 25 January 1942 U-504 sailed from Lorient, and headed across the Atlantic to the Florida coast.

crude oil, the ship burst into flames, killing all but one of the crew of 36, and later sank.[7]

U-504 struck again on 26 February sinking the unescorted Dutch 8,245 GRT tanker Mamura about 230 nautical miles (430 km; 260 mi) off the coast of Florida. The ship, loaded with gasoline, was hit by two torpedoes, setting it on fire and breaking it in two. The ship sank within eight minutes, killing all 49 of the crew.[8]

U-504's final victim was the unescorted British 5,966 GRT merchant ship Stangarth, sunk on 16 March, by a single torpedo, north-east of San Juan, Puerto Rico. There were no survivors from her crew of 46.[9] U-504 arrived back at Lorient on 1 April after 67 days at sea.

Third patrol

The U-boat then sailed for a patrol in the Caribbean Sea, departing Lorient on 2 May 1942.[10] Her first success came on 29 May when she sank the unescorted British 1,597 GRT cargo ship Allister, en route from Kingston, Jamaica, to Tampa, Florida, with a cargo of 500 tons of bananas. The ship was torpedoed 54 nautical miles (100 km; 62 mi) south of Grand Cayman Island, losing 15 of her crew of 23.[11]

On 8 June U-504 struck twice, east of the Yucatán Peninsula. At 06:59 she sank the unescorted 3,901 GRT Honduran merchant ship Tela with two torpedoes, sinking her within five minutes.[12] At 18:06 the U-boat opened fire with her deck gun on the unescorted British 1,512 GRT merchant ship Rosenborg, after missing the ship with two torpedoes. She fired 60 shells, of which about 30 hit. Four of the crew were killed, the remaining 23 were later picked up and landed in Panama.[13]

The U-boat struck again twice in a single day, 11 June, off Honduras. She sank the unescorted Dutch 4,282 GRT passenger ship Crijnssen at 02:10 with three torpedoes,[14] then the unescorted and unarmed American 4,846 GRT merchant ship American at 18:01. The ship, carrying 6,500 tons of manganese ore, coffee, gunny sacks, jute and oil, from Santos, Brazil, to New Orleans, was hit by two torpedoes, and then a third eleven minutes later. The ship sank in 25 minutes. The crew of eight officers and 30 men abandoned ship.[15] Finally, on 14 June, she torpedoed and sank the Latvian 3,280 GRT cargo ship Regent.[16] U-504 arrived back at Lorient on 7 July after 67 days at sea.

Fourth patrol

U-504 left Lorient again on 19 August 1942 and sailed south to the waters off

Port Elizabeth. Part of the crew were picked up at sea, while the rest made it to land in their lifeboats.[19]

U-504 sank two more British merchant ships on 31 October, about 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) east of Durban. First the unescorted 7,041 GRT Empire Guidon,[20] then the unescorted 5,113 GRT Reynolds, which, hit amidships and in the stern, capsized and sank within seconds.[21]

Finally on 3 November she sank the unescorted and unarmed Brazilian 5,187 GRT cargo ship Porto Alegre en route from Rio de Janeiro to Durban, off Port Elizabeth. Hit by a single torpedo, the crew abandoned ship before the U-boat delivered the coup de grâce. Only one crew member was lost. The survivors were questioned by the Germans, and later made landfall about 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi) from Port Elizabeth on 7 November.[22] U-504 arrived back at Lorient on 11 December 1942 after a patrol lasting 115 days.

Fifth and sixth patrol

U-504 left Lorient on 19 January 1943, now under the command of Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Luis, and headed out into the Atlantic waters south of the Azores. She was subjected to attacks by unidentified Allied aircraft outbound on 21 January and inbound on 12 March, but was not damaged by either.[23] She returned to Lorient on 24 March after 65 days at sea, without making any successful attacks.[24]

Her next patrol took her to the waters south of Greenland between 21 April and 29 May 1943, again without result.[25]

Seventh patrol

U-504's final patrol began on 27 July 1943 under the newly promoted Korvettenkapitän Wilhelm Luis.

Cape Ortegal, Spain, at position 45°33′N 10°56′W / 45.550°N 10.933°W / 45.550; -10.933, by depth charges from the British Black Swan-class sloops HMS Kite, Woodpecker, Wren and Wild Goose.[1]

Wolfpacks

U-504 took part in six wolfpacks, namely:

  • Eisbär (25 August – 1 September 1942)[27]
  • Rochen (16 February – 1 March 1943)[28]
  • Tümmler (1 – 22 March 1943)[29]
  • Amsel 1 (3 – 6 May 1943)[30]
  • Elbe (7 – 10 May 1943)[31]
  • Elbe 2 (10 – 14 May 1943)[32]

Summary of raiding history

Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT) 		Fate[33]
22 February 1942 Republic  United States 5,287 Sunk
23 February 1942 W.D. Anderson  United States 10,227 Sunk
26 February 1942 Mamura  Netherlands 8,245 Sunk
16 March 1942 Stangarth  United Kingdom 5,966 Sunk
29 May 1942 Allister  United Kingdom 1,597 Sunk
8 June 1942 Rosenborg  United Kingdom 1,512 Sunk
8 June 1942 Tela  Honduras 3,901 Sunk
11 June 1942 American  United States 4,846 Sunk
11 June 1942 Crijnssen  Netherlands 4,282 Sunk
14 June 1942 Regent  Latvia 3,280 Sunk
17 October 1942 Empire Chaucer  United Kingdom 5,970 Sunk
23 October 1942 City of Johannesburg  United Kingdom 5,669 Sunk
26 October 1942 Anne Hutchinson  United States 7,176 Total loss
31 October 1942 Empire Guidon  United Kingdom 7,041 Sunk
31 October 1942 Reynolds  United Kingdom 5,113 Sunk
3 November 1942 Porto Alegre  Brazil 5,187 Sunk

References

  1. ^ a b c Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-504". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-504". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 6 Jan 1942 to 20 Jan 1942". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  5. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 25 Jan 1942 to 1 Apr 1942". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  6. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Republic (Steam tanker)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  7. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "W.D. Anderson (Steam tanker)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  8. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Mamura (Motor tanker)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  9. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Stangarth (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  10. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 2 May 1942 to 7 Jul 1942". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  11. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Allister (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  12. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Tela (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  13. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Rosenborg (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  14. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Crijnssen (Steam passenger ship)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  15. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "American (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  16. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Regent (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  17. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 19 Aug 1942 to 11 Dec 1942". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  18. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Empire Chaucer (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  19. ^ a b Helgason, Guðmundur. "City of Johannesburg (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  20. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Empire Guidon (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  21. ^ other sources credit the raider Michel with sinking Reynolds
  22. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Porto Alegre (Steam merchant)". Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  23. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-Boat Operations U-504". U-boat patrols. Archived from the original on 25 March 2006. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  24. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 19 Jan 1943 to 24 Mar 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  25. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 21 Apr 1943 to 29 May 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  26. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol of U-boat U-504 from 27 Jul 1943 to 30 Jul 1943". U-boat patrols - uboat.net. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
  27. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Eisbär". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  28. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Rochen". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  29. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Tümmler". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  30. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Amsel 1". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  31. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Elbe". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  32. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Wolfpack Elbe 2". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  33. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-504". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 28 January 2014.

Bibliography

External links
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