U-453
Type | VIIC | |||||||
| Ordered | 30 Oct 1939 | |||||||
| Laid down | 4 Jul 1940 | Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 284) | ||||||
| Launched | 30 Apr 1941 | |||||||
| Commissioned | 26 Jun 1941 | Kptlt. Gert Hetschko | ||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career | 17 patrols | 26 Jun 1941 - 1 Nov 1941 7. Flottille (training) 1 Nov 1941 - 31 Dec 1941 7. Flottille (front boat) 1 Jan 1942 - 21 May 1944 29. Flottille (front boat) | ||||||
| Successes | 9 ships sunk for a total of 23,289 GRT 1 warship sunk for a total of 835 tons 2 ships damaged for a total of 16,610 GRT 1 warship a total loss for a total of 1,705 tons | |||||||
| Fate | Sunk 21 May, 1944 in the Ionian Sea north-east of Cape Spartivento, in position 38.13N, 16.30E, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Termagent and HMS Tenacious and the escort destroyer HMS Liddesdale. 1 dead and 51 survivors. | |||||||
See the 13 ships hit by U-453 - View the 17 war patrols
Attacks on this boat
12 Dec 1942
The U-453 sustained so much damage during a depth charge attack that she was forced to return to base in the Mediterranean.
24 Apr 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Hudson (500 Sqdn RAF/N, pilot W/O R. Obee)
At 00.12 hours, the boat was illuminated by the Hudson with flares after obtaining a radar contact off Oran and subsequently attacked. AA fire hit the aircraft (misidentified as Hampden) during its inital strafing run and killed the pilot. No depth charges were dropped as the front gunner struggled to save the Hudson from crashing. The navigator then flew the aircraft to their base at Tafaraoui, but the four remaining crewmen bailed out and let it crash because they could not land the Hudson safely.This aircraft was formerly credited with sinking U-602, but was in fact against U-453 inflicting no damage.
(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)4 Feb 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:South African Ventura (Sqdn 17/E).
3 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
13 Oct 1942
1 man was killed and 3 wounded on U-453 in an accident during handling the machine gun. [Matrosengefreiter Horst Saupe + on 13th Oct., Steuermannsgefreiter Helmut Lorenz died 2 months later]
24 Feb 1944
During test firing with the machine gun at the base in Salamis, Greece were two men killed (not crew members).
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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