German submarine U-853

U-853 and crew
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-853
Ordered:	5 June 1941
Builder:	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	1059
Laid down:	21 August 1942
Launched:	11 March 1943
Commissioned:	25 June 1943
Fate:	Sunk, 6 May 1945
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 25 June 1943 – 31 March 1944 10th U-boat Flotilla 1 April–1 October 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1944 – 6 May 1945
Commanders:	Kptlt. Helmut Sommer 25 June 1943 – 9 July 1944 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Frömsdorf (acting) 18 June–9 July 1944 Oblt.z.S. Otto Wermuth 10 July–31 August 1944 K.Kapt. Günter Kuhnke 24 August–15 October 1944 Oblt.z.S. Helmut Frömsdorf 1 September 1944 – 6 May 1945
Operations:	1st patrol: 29 April–4 July 1944 2nd patrol: 27 August–14 October 1944 3rd patrol: 23 February–6 May 1945
Victories:	1 commercial ship sunk (5,353 GRT) 1 warship sunk (430 GRT)

German submarine U-853 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 21 August 1942 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen. She was commissioned on 25 June 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Helmut Sommer in command. U-853 saw action during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. She conducted three patrols, sinking two ships totalling 5,783 tons.

On her final patrol, U-853 was sent to harass United States coastal shipping. She destroyed USS Eagle Boat 56 near Portland, Maine. Just days before Germany's surrender, U-853 torpedoed and sank the collier Black Point during the Battle of Point Judith. American warships quickly found U-853 and sank her 7 nmi (13 km; 8.1 mi) east of Block Island, Rhode Island, resulting in the loss of her entire crew.

U-853 is a popular deep sea diving site. She rests in 121 feet (37 m) of water. Holes in the hull permit access to the interior of the submarine, though it is a war grave with most of the 55 crew bodies remaining inside.

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-853 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).

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