German submarine U-654

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-654
Ordered	9 October 1939
Builder	Howaldtswerke, Hamburg
Yard number	803
Laid down	1 June 1940
Launched	3 May 1941
Commissioned	5 July 1941
Fate	Sunk on 22 August 1942 in the Caribbean Sea in position 12°00′N 79°56′W / 12.000°N 79.933°W, by depth charges from a USAAF Douglas B-18 aircraft.
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 5 July – 31 October 1941; 1st U-boat Flotilla; 1 November 1941 – 22 August 1942;
Identification codes:	M 46 564
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Hans-Joachim Hesse; 5 July – 24 November 1941; Oblt.z.S. Ludwig Forster; 2 December 1941 – 22 August 1942;
Operations:	4 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 15 – 25 December 1941; 2nd patrol:; 3 January – 19 February 1942; 3rd patrol:; a. 21 March – 19 May 1942; b. 9 – 10 July 1942; 4th patrol:; 11 July – 22 August 1942;
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk ; (17,755 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (900 tons);

German submarine U-654 was a Type VIIC U-boat that was built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 June 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 803, launched on 3 May 1941 and commissioned on 5 July 1941 under Korvettenkapitän Hans-Joachim Hesse.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-654
Ordered	9 October 1939
Builder	Howaldtswerke, Hamburg
Yard number	803
Laid down	1 June 1940
Launched	3 May 1941
Commissioned	5 July 1941
Fate	Sunk on 22 August 1942 in the Caribbean Sea in position 12°00′N 79°56′W / 12.000°N 79.933°W / 12.000; -79.933, by depth charges from a USAAF Douglas B-18 aircraft.
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 5 July – 31 October 1941 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1941 – 22 August 1942
Identification codes:	M 46 564
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Hans-Joachim Hesse 5 July – 24 November 1941 Oblt.z.S. Ludwig Forster 2 December 1941 – 22 August 1942
Operations:	4 patrols: 1st patrol: 15 – 25 December 1941 2nd patrol: 3 January – 19 February 1942 3rd patrol: a. 21 March – 19 May 1942 b. 9 – 10 July 1942 4th patrol: 11 July – 22 August 1942
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (17,755 GRT) 1 warship sunk (900 tons)