German submarine U-709

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-709
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Yard number	773
Laid down	5 May 1941
Launched	14 April 1942
Commissioned	12 August 1942
Fate	Missing since 19 February 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	44–60 officers & ratings
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 12 August 1942 – 28 February 1943; 9th U-boat Flotilla; 1 March 1943 – 19 February 1944;
Identification codes:	M 49 765
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Karl-Otto Weber; 12 August 1942 – 2 December 1943; Oblt.z.S. Rudolf Ites; 3 December 1943 – 19 February 1944;
Operations:	5 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 13 February – 18 March 1943; 2nd patrol:; 15 April – 23 May 1943; 3rd patrol:; 5 – 20 July 1943; 4th patrol:; a. 2 – 3 October 1943; b. 6 October – 28 November 1943; 5th patrol:; 25 January – 19 February 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-709 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

Ordered 15 August 1940, she was laid down on 5 May 1941 and launched 14 April 1942. From 12 August 1942 until 2 December 1943, she was commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Karl-Otto Weber, then captained by Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Ites from 3 December 1943 until 19 February 1944.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-709 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[1] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 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 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-709 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[1]

Service history

U-709 had five patrols, from 12 August 1942 until 19 February 1944, during which she sank no ships.

Wolfpacks

U-709 took part in 15 wolfpacks, namely:

Westmark (6 – 11 March 1943)
Amsel (22 April – 3 May 1943)
Amsel 3 (3 – 6 May 1943)
Rhein (7 – 10 May 1943)
Elbe 1 (10 – 14 May 1943)
Without name (11 – 29 July 1943)
Siegfried (22 – 27 October 1943)
Siegfried 3 (27 – 30 October 1943)
Jahn (30 October – 2 November 1943)
Tirpitz 4 (2 – 8 November 1943)
Eisenhart 6 (9 – 13 November 1943)
Schill 2 (17 – 22 November 1943)
Igel 2 (3 – 17 February 1944)
Hai 1 (17 – 22 February 1944)
Preussen (22 February – 1 March 1944)

Fate

She has been missing since 19 February 1944 in the North Atlantic. No explanation for its loss. All hands lost.^[2]

Previously recorded fate

She was sunk by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Thomas, USS Bostwick, and USS Bronstein while on patrol north of the Azores; all 52 crew members aboard died. Niestlé disagreed with the official account, and conclude that there was no known explanation for its loss. ^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-709". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
^ Niestlé 2014, p. 111.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). 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 (1999). 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.
Niestlé, Axel (30 June 2014). German U-Boat Losses During World War II: Details of Destruction. Frontline Books. ISBN 978-1-4738-3829-1.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-709". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Ites". German U-boat commanders of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 709". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 29 December 2014.

[FOOTNOTEGröner199143–46-1] Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

[uboat-2] Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-709". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 April 2016.

[FOOTNOTENiestlé2014111-3] Niestlé 2014, p. 111.

[1]

[2]

[3]

v t e Type VII submarines
Type VIIA	U-27 U-28 U-29 U-30 U-31 U-32 U-33 U-34 U-35 U-36
Type VIIB	U-45 U-46 U-47 U-48 U-49 U-50 U-51 U-52 U-53 U-54 U-55 U-73 U-74 U-75 U-76 U-83 U-84 U-85 U-86 U-87 U-99 U-100 U-101 U-102
Type VIIC	U-69 U-70 U-71 U-72 U-77 U-78 U-79 U-80 U-81 U-82 U-88 U-89 U-90 U-91 U-92 U-93 U-94 U-95 U-96 U-97 U-98 U-132 U-133 U-134 U-135 U-136 U-201 U-202 U-203 U-204 U-205 U-206 U-207 U-208 U-209 U-210 U-211 U-212 U-221 U-222 U-223 U-224 U-225 U-226 U-227 U-228 U-229 U-230 U-231 U-232 U-235 U-236 U-237 U-238 U-239 U-240 U-241 U-242 U-243 U-244 U-245 U-246 U-247 U-248 U-249 U-250 U-251 U-252 U-253 U-254 U-255 U-256 U-257 U-258 U-259 U-260 U-261 U-262 U-263 U-264 U-265 U-266 U-267 U-268 U-269 U-270 U-271 U-272 U-273 U-274 U-275 U-276 U-277 U-278 U-279 U-280 U-281 U-282 U-283 U-284 U-285 U-286 U-287 U-288 U-289 U-290 U-291 U-301 U-302 U-303 U-304 U-305 U-306 U-307 U-308 U-309 U-310 U-311 U-312 U-313 U-314 U-315 U-316 U-331 U-332 U-333 U-334 U-335 U-336 U-337 U-338 U-339 U-340 U-341 U-342 U-343 U-344 U-345 U-346 U-347 U-348 U-349 U-350 U-351 U-352 U-353 U-354 U-355 U-356 U-357 U-358 U-359 U-360 U-361 U-362 U-363 U-364 U-365 U-366 U-367 U-368 U-369 U-370 U-371 U-372 U-373 U-374 U-375 U-376 U-377 U-378 U-379 U-380 U-381 U-382 U-383 U-384 U-385 U-386 U-387 U-388 U-389 U-390 U-391 U-392 U-393 U-394 U-396 U-397 U-398 U-399 U-400 U-401 U-402 U-403 U-404 U-405 U-406 U-407 U-408 U-409 U-410 U-411 U-412 U-413 U-414 U-415 U-416 U-417 U-418 U-419 U-420 U-421 U-422 U-423 U-424 U-425 U-426 U-427 U-428 U-429 U-430 U-431 U-432 U-433 U-434 U-435 U-436 U-437 U-438 U-439 U-440 U-441 U-442 U-443 U-444 U-445 U-446 U-447 U-448 U-449 U-450 U-451 U-452 U-453 U-454 U-455 U-456 U-457 U-458 U-465 U-466 U-467 U-468 U-469 U-470 U-471 U-472 U-473 U-475 U-476 U-477 U-478 U-479 U-480 U-481 U-482 U-483 U-484 U-485 U-486 U-551 U-552 U-553 U-554 U-555 U-556 U-557 U-558 U-559 U-560 U-561 U-562 U-563 U-564 U-565 U-566 U-567 U-568 U-569 U-570 U-571 U-572 U-573 U-574 U-575 U-576 U-577 U-578 U-579 U-580 U-581 U-582 U-583 U-584 U-585 U-586 U-587 U-588 U-589 U-590 U-591 U-592 U-593 U-594 U-595 U-596 U-597 U-598 U-599 U-600 U-601 U-602 U-603 U-604 U-605 U-606 U-607 U-608 U-609 U-610 U-611 U-612 U-613 U-614 U-615 U-616 U-617 U-618 U-619 U-620 U-621 U-622 U-623 U-624 U-625 U-626 U-627 U-628 U-629 U-630 U-631 U-632 U-633 U-634 U-635 U-636 U-637 U-638 U-639 U-640 U-641 U-642 U-643 U-644 U-645 U-646 U-647 U-648 U-649 U-650 U-651 U-652 U-653 U-654 U-655 U-656 U-657 U-658 U-659 U-660 U-661 U-662 U-663 U-664 U-665 U-666 U-667 U-668 U-669 U-670 U-671 U-672 U-673 U-674 U-675 U-676 U-677 U-678 U-679 U-680 U-681 U-682 U-683 U-701 U-702 U-703 U-704 U-705 U-706 U-707 U-708 U-709 U-710 U-711 U-712 U-713 U-714 U-715 U-716 U-717 U-718 U-719 U-720 U-721 U-722 U-731 U-732 U-733 U-734 U-735 U-736 U-737 U-738 U-739 U-740 U-741 U-742 U-743 U-744 U-745 U-746 U-747 U-748 U-749 U-750 U-751 U-752 U-753 U-754 U-755 U-756 U-757 U-758 U-759 U-760 U-761 U-762 U-763 U-764 U-765 U-766 U-767 U-768 U-771 U-772 U-773 U-774 U-775 U-776 U-777 U-778 U-779 U-821 U-822 U-825 U-826 U-901 U-903 U-904 U-905 U-907 U-921 U-922 U-923 U-924 U-925 U-926 U-927 U-928 U-951 U-952 U-953 U-954 U-955 U-956 U-957 U-958 U-959 U-960 U-961 U-962 U-963 U-964 U-965 U-966 U-967 U-968 U-969 U-970 U-971 U-972 U-973 U-974 U-975 U-976 U-977 U-978 U-979 U-980 U-981 U-982 U-983 U-984 U-985 U-986 U-987 U-988 U-989 U-990 U-991 U-992 U-993 U-994 U-1051 U-1052 U-1053 U-1054 U-1055 U-1056 U-1057 U-1058 U-1101 U-1102 U-1131 U-1132 U-1161 U-1162 U-1191 U-1192 U-1193 U-1194 U-1195 U-1196 U-1197 U-1198 U-1199 U-1200 U-1201 U-1202 U-1203 U-1204 U-1205 U-1206 U-1207 U-1208 U-1209 U-1210
Type VIIC/41	U-292 U-293 U-294 U-295 U-296 U-297 U-298 U-299 U-300 U-317 U-318 U-319 U-320 U-321 U-322 U-323 U-324 U-325 U-326 U-327 U-328 U-691 U-827 U-828 U-929 U-930 U-995 U-997 U-998 U-999 U-1000 U-1001 U-1002 U-1003 U-1004 U-1005 U-1006 U-1007 U-1008 U-1009 U-1010 U-1011 U-1013 U-1014 U-1015 U-1016 U-1017 U-1018 U-1019 U-1020 U-1021 U-1022 U-1023 U-1024 U-1025 U-1063 U-1064 U-1065 U-1103 U-1104 U-1105 U-1106 U-1107 U-1108 U-1109 U-1110 U-1163 U-1164 U-1165 U-1166 U-1167 U-1168 U-1169 U-1170 U-1171 U-1172 U-1271 U-1272 U-1273 U-1274 U-1275 U-1276 U-1277 U-1278 U-1279 U-1301 U-1302 U-1303 U-1304 U-1305 U-1306 U-1307 U-1308
Type VIID	U-213 U-214 U-215 U-216 U-217 U-218
Type VIIF	U-1059 U-1060 U-1061 U-1062
Preceded by: Type II Followed by: Type IX List of U-boats of Germany

v t e Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in March 1944
Shipwrecks	1 Mar: HMS Gould, Sakito Maru, U-358, U-603, U-709 4 Mar: U-472 5 Mar: U-366 6 Mar: U-744, U-973 10 Mar: USS Leopold, William B. Woods, U-343, U-450, U-625, U-845 11 Mar: Dupleix, Fresnel, Pascal, U-380, U-410, UIT-22 13 Mar: Peleus, Tatsuta, U-575 15 Mar: Dupleix, Empire Ace, U-653 16 Mar: Shirakumo, U-392 17 Mar: U-28, U-801, U-1013 19 Mar: U-1059 20 Mar: HMS Graph, Seydlitz 22 Mar: Cattaro 23 Mar: I-42, U-575 24 Mar: I-32, Schwabenland, U-1102 25 Mar: U-976 26 Mar: USS Tullibee 28 Mar: HMS Syrtis, Tulagi 29 Mar: U-961 30 Mar: Akashi, HMS Laforey, Patrol Boat No. 31, U-223 Unknown date: Goshū Maru, HMS Stonehenge, HMS Syrtis, U-851
Other incidents	3 Mar: Karatsu, USS Sand Lance 10 Mar: I-185 18 Mar: I-165 29 Mar: USS Gunnel, I-26
1943 1944 1945 February 1944 April 1944