U-405

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Oct, 1939

Laid down

8 Jul, 1940

Danziger Werft, Danzig (werk 106)

Launched

4 Jun, 1941

Commissioned

17 Sep, 1941

Korvkpt. Rolf-Heinrich Hopmann

Commanders

17 Sep, 1941 - 1 Nov, 1943

KrvKpt. Rolf-Heinrich Hopmann

Career

11 patrols

17 Sep, 1941 - 28 Feb, 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1942 - 30 Jun, 1942  1. Flottille (front boat)
1 Jul, 1942 - 28 Feb, 1943  11. Flottille (front boat)
1 Mar, 1943 - 1 Nov, 1943  6. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

2 ships sunk for a total of 11.841 GRT
3 warships sunk for a total of 361 tons (lost aboard transport ships)

Fate

Sunk 1 Nov, 1943 in the North Atlantic, in position 49.00N, 31.14W, by ramming, small arms fire and depth charges from the US destroyer USS Borie, during a storm. 49 dead (all hands lost).

See the 5 ships hit by U-405 - View the 11 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-405 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Neptun (18 Feb, 1943 - 3 Mar, 1943)
Westmark (6 Mar, 1943 - 11 Mar, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

4 May, 1943
At 19.24 hours, the outbound boat was attacked with 3 bombs by a British Halifax aircraft (RAF Sqdn 502 / A) in the Bay of Biscay. The attack caused an oil leak that that could not be stopped, prompting the captain to abort patrol on 12 May. (Sources: Rohwer )

18 May, 1943
The inbound boat was bombed by an Australian Sunderland aircraft (RAAF Sqdn 10 / S) northwest of Cape Finisterre. No damages. (Sources: Rohwer)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

On 12 May, 1943 U-405 had to return to base due to technical difficulties.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-405 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.