History | |
---|---|
![]() |
|
Name: | U-546 |
Ordered: | 5 June 1941 |
Builder: | Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg-Finkenwerder |
Yard number: | 367 |
Laid down: | 6 August 1942 |
Launched: | 17 March 1943 |
Commissioned: | 3 June 1943 |
Status: | Sunk 24 April 1945 by US Navy ships in the north Atlantic |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Type IXC/40 submarine |
Displacement: |
|
Length: |
|
Beam: |
|
Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught: | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
Installed power: |
|
Propulsion: |
|
Speed: |
|
Range: |
|
Test depth: | 230 m (750 ft) |
Complement: | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
Sensors and processing systems: |
|
Armament: |
|
Service record | |
Part of: | Kriegsmarine GRUPPE IGEL 1 (Group Hedgehog) |
Identification codes: | M 51 791 |
Commanders: | Kptlt. Paul Just (1936 B Crew) |
Victories: | 1 warship of 1,200 GRT |
German submarine U-546 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat operated by Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft in Hamburg as yard number 367 on 6 August 1942, launched on 17 March 1943 and commissioned on 2 June 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Paul Just. The U-boat was a member of three wolfpacks.
U-546 was responsible for the last combat sinking of a United States Navy vessel in the Atlantic Theatre, during Operation Teardrop. On 24 April 1945 U-546 sank the destroyer escort USS Frederick C. Davis, but was in turn sunk by combined fire of five other US destroyers. Her captain and most of her crew were rescued by US vessels, and taken to Argentia Naval Station. It was from this crew that the USN eventually learned that no V-1/2 attacks from the U-boats were planned by the Kriegsmarine.
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-546 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 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).