List of all U-boats
U-604
Type | VIIC | |||||||||
| Ordered | 22 May 1940 | |||||||||
| Laid down | 27 Feb 1941 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 580) | ||||||||
| Launched | 16 Nov 1941 | |||||||||
| Commissioned | 8 Jan 1942 | Kptlt. Horst Höltring | ||||||||
| Commanders |
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| Career 6 patrols |
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| Successes | 6 ships sunk, total tonnage 39,891 GRT | |||||||||
| Fate | Scuttled 11 Aug, 1943 in the South Atlantic, in position 04.30S, 21.20W, after being badly damaged by depth charges from 2 American aircraft, a Ventura (VB-129) and a Liberator (VB-107). 14 dead and 31 survivors. | |||||||||
| Loss position | ||||||||||
Wolfpack operations
U-604 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Vorwärts (25 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942)
Streitaxt (20 Oct 1942 - 31 Oct 1942)
Draufgänger (1 Dec 1942 - 11 Dec 1942)
Ungestüm (11 Dec 1942 - 22 Dec 1942)
Knappen (19 Feb 1943 - 25 Feb 1943)
Attacks on this boat
21 Feb 1943
The attack on 21 Feb, 1943 in the North Atlantic, in position 51. 25N, 27. 28W, by depth charges from the US Coast Guard cutter USS John C. Spencer believed to have sunk the U-225 was in fact against U-604 which escaped undamaged. (Sources: 1987-05-01, FDS/NHB)
30 Jul 1943
U-604 was attacked by a B-24 Liberator aircraft (VB-129) off the coast of Brazil on 30 July and both the IWO and the Coxswain were killed in action. [Oberleutnant zur See Frank Aschmann (see right) and Oberbootsmaat Herbert Lurz]. The boat was left in a crippled state but nonetheless manged to escape from the area. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)
3 Aug 1943
Already crippled from an attack 3 days earlier, the boat was attacked by a second American B-24 (VB-107, pilot Bertram J. Prueher). (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)
3 Aug 1943
After evading an attack from a B-24 aircraft earlier in the day, U-604 was depth charged by two American destroyers while proceeding submerged, but managed to elude her attackers and escape once again. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)
4 recorded attacks on this boat.
General notes on this boat
Crew was taken over by U-185 (during the sinking of U-185 14 men from U-604 died) and U-172.
Men lost from the boat
30 Jul 1943
U-604 was attacked by a Liberator aircraft (VB-129) on 30 July and both the IWO and the Boatswain were killed in action. [Oberleutnant zur See Frank Aschmann (see right) and Oberbootsmaat Herbert Lurz]
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
Media links
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