German submarine U-653

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-653
Ordered:	9 October 1939
Builder:	Howaldtswerke, Hamburg
Yard number:	802
Laid down:	9 April 1940
Launched:	22 March 1941
Commissioned:	25 May 1941
Fate:	Sunk 15 March 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 53°46′N 24°35′W / 53.767°N 24.583°W / 53.767; -24.583Coordinates: 53°46′N 24°35′W / 53.767°N 24.583°W / 53.767; -24.583, by depth charges from Fleet Air Arm Swordfish, HMS Starling and HMS Wild Goose.
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:	1st U-boat Flotilla 25 May 1941 - 1 December 1941 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 December 1941 - 15 March 1944
Identification codes:	M 44 257
Commanders:	Kptlt. Gerhard Feiler 25 May 1941 - 30 September 1943 Oblt.z.S. Hans-Albrecht Kandler 1 October 1943 - 15 March 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 13 December 1941 - 13 January 1942 2nd patrol: 31 January 1942 - 30 March 1942 3rd patrol: 25 April 1942 - 6 July 1942 4th patrol: 5 August 1942 - 31 August 1942 5th patrol: 27 October 1942 - 29 December 1942 6th patrol: 28 January 1943 - 31 March 1943 7th patrol: 10 June 1943 - 11 September 1943 8th patrol: 21 November 1943 - 13 January 1944 9th patrol: 2 March 1944 - 15 March 1944
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk (14,983 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (9,382 GRT) 1 warship sunk (840 tons)

German submarine U-653 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 9 April 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 802, launched on 22 March 1941 and commissioned on 25 May 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Feiler.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-653 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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).

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