U-481

Type

VIIC

Ordered

5 Jun 1941

Laid down

6 Feb 1943

Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 316)

Launched

25 Sep 1943

Commissioned

10 Nov 1943

Oblt. Ewald Pick

Commanders

10 Nov 1943 - 29 Feb 1944	Oblt. Ewald Pick
1 Mar 1944 - 19 May 1945	Kptlt. Klaus Andersen
28 Dec 1944 - 28 Dec 1944	Oblt. Gustav Bischoff (in deputize) -- acting

Career

5 patrols

10 Nov 1943 - 31 Jul 1944 5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1944 - 8 May 1945 8. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

6 ships sunk for a total of 1,217 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 108 tons
1 ship damaged for a total of 26 GRT

Fate

Surrendered at Narvik, Norway on 8 May, 1945. Transferred to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, on 19 May and later to Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight.

Operation Deadlight (post-war Allied operation, info)
Sunk on 30 November 1945 at 56.11N x 10.00W by unknown causes.

See the 8 ships hit by U-481 - View the 5 war patrols

The U-boats that were in the Narvik area at the end of the war were all moved to the Skjomenfjord upon Allied orders to avoid conflicts with the Norwegians on 12 May. On 15 May, a German convoy of four ships (the fleet tender Grille with the staff of FdU Norwegen aboard, the fleet oiler Kärnten and the depot ships Huascaran and Stella Polaris) and 15 U-boats (U-278, U-294, U-295, U-312, U-313, U-318, U-363, U-427, U-481, U-668, U-716, U-968, U-992, U-997 and U-1165) left for transfer to Trondheim, but was intercepted after two days by the 9th Escort Group off the Norwegian coast and officially capitulated. While the ships were allowed to proceed to Trondheim, the U-boats were escorted to Loch Eriboll, Scotland, arriving on 19 May. All U-boats were later that month transferred to Lisahally or Loch Ryan for Operation Deadlight.

Attacks on this boat

30 Jul 1944
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:Soviet Il-2 (Sqdn )

On this day U-481 was attacked by two Il-2 (35. ShAP) in the Narwa Bay in the Baltic. One of the Il-2 was damaged and was later ditched.

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus in February 1945. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-481 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.