U-404

Type

VIIC

Ordered

23 Sep, 1939

Laid down

4 Jun, 1940

Danziger Werft, Danzig (werk 105)

Launched

4 Jun, 1941

Commissioned

6 Aug, 1941

Kptlt. Otto von Bülow (Oak Leaves)

Commanders

6 Aug, 1941 - 19 Jul, 1943	KrvKpt. Otto von Bülow (Knights Cross)
20 Jul, 1943 - 28 Jul, 1943	Oblt. Adolf Schönberg

Career

7 patrols

6 Aug, 1941 - 1 Jan, 1942 6. Flottille (training)
1 Jan, 1942 - 28 Jul, 1943 6. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

14 ships sunk for a total of 71.450 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1.120 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 16.689 GRT

Fate

Sunk 28 July, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.53N, 09.25W, by depth charges from 2 American Liberator aircraft (A/S Sqdn. 4) and from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 224). 51 dead (all hands lost).

See the 17 ships hit by U-404 - View the 7 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-404 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Pfadfinder (23 May, 1942 - 27 May, 1942)
   Stier (2 Sep, 1942 - 14 Sep, 1942)
   Letzte Ritter (30 Sep, 1942 - 2 Oct, 1942)
   Falke (31 Dec, 1942 - 22 Jan, 1943)
   Landknecht (22 Jan, 1943 - 28 Jan, 1943)
   Adler (7 Apr, 1943 - 12 Apr, 1943)
   Meise (20 Apr, 1943 - 27 Apr, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

26 Jan, 1942
The periscope on U-404 was damaged during an air attack in the North Atlantic.

1 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-404 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.