German submarine U-354

History

Nazi Germany
Name:	U-354
Ordered:	9 October 1939
Builder:	Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg
Yard number:	473
Laid down:	15 April 1940
Launched:	10 January 1942
Commissioned:	22 April 1942
Fate:	Sunk by British warships in the Barents Sea August 1944
General characteristics
Class and 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) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 22 August – 30 September 1942 1st U-boat Flotilla 1–14 October 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 15 October 1942 – 31 May 1943 13th U-boat Flotilla 1 June 1943 – 24 August 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Karl-Heinz Herbschleb 22 April 1942 – 22 February 1944 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Jürgen Sthamer 22 February 1944 – 24 August 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 29 October – 30 November 1942 2nd patrol: 19 December 1942 – 15 January 1943 3rd patrol: 11 March – 4 April 1943 4th patrol: 9 May – 12 June 1943 5th patrol: 4 August – 22 September 1943 6th patrol: a. 22–23 October 1943 b. 25 October – 6 December 1943 7th patrol: 7 December 1943 – 1 January 1944 8th patrol: 8 March – 12 April 1944 9th patrol: 8 April – 3 May 1944 10th patrol: a. 30 June – 3 July 1944 b. 4–28 July 1944 11th patrol: 21–24 August 1944
Victories:	One ship sunk, 7,176 GRT one warship sunk, of 1,300 tons one ship damaged, 3,771 GRT one warship a total loss of 11,420 tons

German submarine U-354 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out 11 patrols before being sunk in the Barents Sea by British warships in 1944.

She sank one ship and one warship, damaged a commercial vessel and caused a warship to be declared a total loss.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-354 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-354 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

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