List of all U-boats

U-454

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered30 Oct 1939
Laid down4 Jul 1940 Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 285)
Launched30 Apr 1941
Commissioned24 Jul 1941Kptlt. Burckhard Hackländer
Commanders
24 Jul 1941 - 1 Aug 1943  Kptlt. Burckhard Hackländer
Career
10 patrols
24 Jul 1941-31 Oct 1941  5. Flottille (training)
1 Nov 1941-1 Aug 1943  7. Flottille (active service)
Successes1 ship sunk, total tonnage 557 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,870 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,395 GRT
Fate

Sunk at 1400hrs on 1 August 1943 in the North Atlantic north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.36N, 10.23W, by depth charges from an Australian Sunderland aircraft (10 Sqn RAAF/B). 32 dead and 14 survivors.

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-454 - View the 10 war patrols

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 and other events

10 May 1943
Mid Atlantic: a Swordfish aircraft from HMS Biter (D 97), escorting convoy HX 237 forced the boat to dive. No damage. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 327)

1 Aug 1943
The sinking of U-454 Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:Australian Sunderland flying boat W4020 (10 Sqdn RAAF/B, pilot F/L Ken G. Fry)

14.40 hrs, NW of Finisterre: Six days into her patrol after leaving La Pallice, U-454 was broken in two by fatally accurate depth charges from the Sunderland, despite its suffering severe damage from the U-boat flak barrage. An attempt to ditch failed, and the subsequent crash killed the pilot and five aircrew. Six survivors were rescued by HMS Wren of the 2nd Escort Group, while HMS Kite saved the commander and 13 survivors from U-454.

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

26 Feb 1942
Matrosengefreiter Josef Kauerlost was lost overboard when U-454 was two days out from Trondheim, Norway.

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 2 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


White shield with Black Wheel

Polar Bear

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


Dark Sky, Deep Water

Franks, Norman


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay


Maritime Is Number Ten - The Sunderland Era 1939-45

Baff, K.C. (Flight Lieutenant)




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