U-454
Type | VIIC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 30 Oct 1939 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 4 Jul 1940 | Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 285) | ||||||||
| Launched | 30 Apr 1941 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 24 Jul 1941 | Kptlt. Burckhard Hackländer | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 10 patrols |
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| Successes | 1 ship sunk for a total of 557 GRT 1 warship sunk for a total of 1,870 tons 1 ship damaged for a total of 5,395 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Sunk at 1400hrs on 1 Aug, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.36N, 10.23W, by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (RAAF Sqdn. 10/B). 32 dead and 14 survivors. | |||||||||
Wolfpack operations
U-454 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Ulan (25 Dec 1941 - 18 Jan 1942)
Aufnahme (7 Mar 1942 - 10 Mar 1942)
Umhang (10 Mar 1942 - 15 Mar 1942)
Eiswolf (28 Mar 1942 - 31 Mar 1942)
Robbenschlag (8 Apr 1942 - 14 Apr 1942)
Blutrausch (15 Apr 1942 - 19 Apr 1942)
Wolf (13 Jul 1942 - 30 Jul 1942)
Pirat (30 Jul 1942 - 3 Aug 1942)
Steinbrinck (3 Aug 1942 - 11 Aug 1942)
Panther (6 Oct 1942 - 20 Oct 1942)
Veilchen (20 Oct 1942 - 7 Nov 1942)
Kreuzotter (9 Nov 1942 - 18 Nov 1942)
Landsknecht (20 Jan 1943 - 28 Jan 1943)
Pfeil (1 Feb 1943 - 9 Feb 1943)
Ritter (16 Feb 1943 - 23 Feb 1943)
Amsel (26 Apr 1943 - 3 May 1943)
Amsel 4 (3 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)
Rhein (7 May 1943 - 10 May 1943)
Elbe 2 (10 May 1943 - 14 May 1943)
Attacks on this boat
10 May 1943
Around convoy HX 237 a Swordfish from the escort carrier HMS Biter drove the boat down without damages. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 327)
1 Aug 1943
The sinking of U-454
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:Australian Sunderland W4020 (10 Sqdn RAAF/B, pilot F/L Ken G. Fry)
At 14.40 hours, the outbound boat was attacked by the Sunderland in the Bay of Biscay. AA fire hit the aircraft repeatedly, but the depth charges were right on target and broke U-454 in two. The flying boat tried to ditch due to the damages sustained and crashed, killing the pilot and five crewmen. Six survivors were picked up by HMS Wren of the 2nd Escort Group, while HMS Kite picked up the commander and 13 survivors from the boat.
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
26 Feb 1942
Two days after leaving Trondheim, Norway U-454 lost Matrosengefreiter Josef Kauer overboard.
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
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