U-455

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Jan 1940

Laid down

3 Sep 1940

Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 286)

Launched

21 Jun 1941

Commissioned

21 Aug 1941

Kptlt. Hans-Henrich Giessler

Commanders

21 Aug 1941	-	22 Nov 1942		Kptlt. Hans-Heinrich Giessler
22 Nov 1942	-	5 Apr 1944		Kptlt. Hans-Martin Scheibe

Career
10 patrols

21 Aug 1941	-	31 Dec 1941	5. Flottille (training)
1 Jan 1942	-	29 Feb 1944	7. Flottille (active service)
1 Mar 1944	-	5 Apr 1944	29. Flottille (active service)

Successes

3 ships sunk, total tonnage 17,685 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 5 April 1944 in the Mediterranean Sea south-east of Genoa, in position 44.18,6N, 09.02,9E, by a mine in the German barrage Fuss-Ball-Klub. 51 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, September 2005).

Loss position

See the 3 ships hit by U-455 - View the 10 war patrols

U-455 reported for the last time on 2 April 1944 while returning from its patrol area off Algiers. Its wreck was discovered in 2005 at a depth of 120m off Portofino, Italy.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 6 April, 1944 near La Spezia, in position 44.04N, 09.51E, by a mine, possibly German.

Wolfpack operations

U-455 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Hecht (27 Jan 1942 - 4 Feb 1942)
   Pfadfinder (21 May 1942 - 27 May 1942)
   Draufgänger (29 Nov 1942 - 11 Dec 1942)
   Ungestüm (11 Dec 1942 - 30 Dec 1942)
   Without name (11 Jul 1943 - 23 Jul 1943)
   Schlieffen (14 Oct 1943 - 14 Oct 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

4 Oct 1943
While being refuelled by U-460 (with U-264 and U-422) in the mid Atlantic west of Spain, the boats were attacked by Avenger aircraft from the escort carrier USS Card. After putting up heavy flak the smaller VIIC boats dived, leaving U-460 on the surface. She was destroyed when she also attempted to dive. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 429)

18 Feb 1944
U-455 was possibly attacked twice with a total of five torpedoes (4+1) by the British submarine HMS Upstart (Lt. P.C. Chapman, DSC and Bar, RN). No hits were optained. (Sources: ADM 199/1814)

2 recorded attacks on this boat.

Annoucements related to this boat

U-455 located off Genoa, Italy (23 Oct 2005)