Type | VIIC | |||||||||||||
| Ordered | 23 Sep 1939 | |||||||||||||
| Laid down | 4 Jan 1940 | F Schichau GmbH, Danzig (werk 1472) | ||||||||||||
| Launched | 2 Feb 1941 | |||||||||||||
| Commissioned | 5 Apr 1941 | Kptlt. Wilhelm Dommes (Knights Cross) | ||||||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 16 patrols |
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| Successes | 6 ships sunk, total tonnage 7,679 GRT 1 auxiliary warship sunk, total tonnage 313 GRT 2 warships sunk, total tonnage 3,548 tons 1 ship damaged, total tonnage 3,560 GRT 1 warship damaged, total tonnage 450 tons 1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 6,415 GRT | |||||||||||||
| Fate | Sunk on 21 Oct, 1943 in the Mediterranean out of Algiers in position 37.23N, 00.35E, by depth charges from a British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 179/Z). 52 dead (all hands lost). (FDS/NHB, November 1987). | |||||||||||||
Previously recorded fate
- Sunk 30 Oct, 1943 in the Mediterranean southeast of Toulon, France, in position 43.04N, 05.57E, by a torpedo from the British submarine HMS Ultimatum. (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was actually against U-73 inflicting no damage.
Wolfpack operations
U-431 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Brandenburg (15 Sep 1941 - 1 Oct 1941)
Attacks on this boat
3 Nov 1942
After being attacked and heavily damaged by an aircraft U-431 was forced to return to base.
1 recorded attack on this boat.
Men lost from U-boats
Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-431 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.
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