German submarine U-854

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-854
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1060
Laid down	21 September 1942
Launched	5 April 1943
Commissioned	19 July 1943
Fate	Sunk by mine off Swinemünde on 4 February 1944 in position 54°1′N14°16′E / 54.017°N 14.267°E
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced; 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged;
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a ; 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull ;
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a; 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines ; 2 × electric motors ;
Speed	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced; 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged;
Range	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes ; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun; 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla ; 19 July 1943 – 4 February 1944;
Identification codes:	M 53 631
Commanders:	Kptlt. Horst Weiher; 19 July 1943 – 4 February 1944;
Operations:	None
Victories:	None

Last updated April 05, 2024

German submarine U-854 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-854 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.^[1] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).^[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-854 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.^[1]

Service history

U-854 was ordered on 5 June 1941 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen under the yard number 1060. Her keel was laid down on 21 September 1942 and the U-boat was launched the following year on 5 April 1943. She was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant Horst Weiher (Crew 36) in 4th U-boat Flotilla.

While training in the Baltic Sea, U-854 rescued survivors of U-983 on 9 September 1943 and brought them to Hel. On 4 February 1944 the U-boat was on its way back to Swinemünde, when she struck a mine - one of a barrage 'Geranium', that had been laid by the British Royal Air Force. 51 crew members died, seven survived.^[2]

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References

1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.
↑ Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 185.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999a). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999b). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-854". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 854". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 2 February 2015.

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[FOOTNOTEGröner199168-1] 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, p. 68.

[FOOTNOTEBuschRöll1999b185-2] Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 185.

[1]

[2]

v t e German Type IXC/40 submarines
U-167 U-168 U-169 U-170 U-183 U-184 U-185 U-186 U-187 U-188 U-189 U-190 U-191 U-192 U-193 U-194 U-525 U-526 U-527 U-528 U-529 U-530 U-531 U-532 U-533 U-534 U-535 U-536 U-537 U-538 U-539 U-540 U-541 U-542 U-543 U-544 U-545 U-546 U-547 U-548 U-549 U-550 U-801 U-802 U-803 U-804 U-805 U-806 U-841 U-842 U-843 U-844 U-845 U-846 U-853 U-854 U-855 U-856 U-857 U-858 U-865 U-866 U-867 U-868 U-869 U-870 U-877 U-878 U-879 U-880 U-881 U-889 U-1221 U-1222 U-1223 U-1224 U-1225 U-1226 U-1227 U-1228 U-1229 U-1230 U-1231 U-1232 U-1233 U-1234 U-1235
Preceded by: Type IXC Followed by: Type IXD
List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in February 1944
Shipwrecks	1 Feb: I-171, Ro-39, Umikaze 3 Feb: Monte Pascoal, Nichiai Maru 4 Feb: U-854 , Vautour 6 Feb: U-177 8 Feb: Petrella, U-762 , Lima Maru 9 Feb: U-238 , U-734 10 Feb: El Grillo, Minekaze , U-545 , U-666 11 Feb: Ro-110 , U-283 , U-424 12 Feb: I-27 , Khedive Ismail, Oria 13 Feb: Henry, Irma, USS Macaw 14 Feb: U-738 , UIT-23 15 Feb: I-43 16 Feb: Ro-40 17 Feb: Agano , Aikoku Maru, CH-24 , Fumizuki , I-11 , Katori , Maikaze , Naka , Tachikaze , Tonan Maru No. 3 , W-26 18 Feb: Heian Maru , Oite , HMS Penelope, U-7 , U-406 19 Feb: CH-22 , U-264 , U-386 20 Feb: Hydro , HMS Warwick 21 Feb: Kokai Maru 22 Feb: British Chivalry 24 Feb: U-257 , U-761 25 Feb: HMS Inglefield, HMS Mahratta, Ryūsei Maru, Tango Maru , U-601 26 Feb: USS Ailanthus, U-91 27 Feb: USS Grayback, HMS Woodpecker 29 Feb: USS Trout Unknown date: Cymric , USS Thompson
Other incidents	15 Feb: Agano 16 Feb: LST-418 20 Feb: HMS Woodpecker 25 Feb: HMCS Columbia Unknown date: USS Onyx
1943 1944 1945 January 1944 March 1944

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-854
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number	1060
Laid down	21 September 1942
Launched	5 April 1943
Commissioned	19 July 1943
Fate	Sunk by mine off Swinemünde on 4 February 1944 in position 54°1′N14°16′E / 54.017°N 14.267°E / 54.017; 14.267
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 19 July 1943 – 4 February 1944
Identification codes:	M 53 631
Commanders:	Kptlt. Horst Weiher 19 July 1943 – 4 February 1944
Operations:	None
Victories:	None