German submarine U-544

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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; 29,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced 117 nautical miles (217 km; 135 mi) 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 × 53.3 cm (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 Nazi Germany's 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

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
U-544 at Ubootwaffe

v t e German Type IXC submarine

U-66 U-67 U-68 U-125 U-126 U-127 U-128 U-129 U-130 U-131 U-153 U-154 U-155 U-156 U-157 U-158 U-159 U-160 U-161 U-162 U-163 U-164 U-165 U-166 U-171 U-172 U-173 U-174 U-175 U-176 U-501 U-502 U-503 U-504 U-505 U-506 U-507 U-508 U-509 U-510 U-511 U-512 U-513 U-514 U-515 U-516 U-517 U-518 U-519 U-520 U-521 U-522 U-523 U-524 U-533

Preceded by: Type IXB Followed by: Type IXC/40

List of U-boats of Germany

Coordinates: 40°30′N 37°20′W / 40.500°N 37.333°W / 40.500; -37.333

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