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 22 August 1942 in the Caribbean Sea in position 12°00′N 79°56′W / 12.000°N 79.933°W / 12.000; -79.933Coordinates: 12°00′N 79°56′W / 12.000°N 79.933°W / 12.000; -79.933, by depth charges from a USAAF Douglas Digby aircraft.
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 5 July 1941 – 31 October 1941 - Training 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 November 1941 – 22 August 1942
Identification codes:	M 46 564
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Hans-Joachim Hesse 5 July 1941 – 24 November 1941 Oblt.z.S. Ludwig Forster 2 December 1941 – 22 August 1942
Operations:	1st patrol: 15 December 1941 – 25 December 1941 2nd patrol: 3 January 1942 – 19 February 1942 3rd patrol: 21 March 1942 – 19 May 1942 4th patrol: 11 July 1942 – 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 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.

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-654 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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