U-479

Type

VIIC

Ordered

10 Apr 1941

Laid down

19 Nov 1942

Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 310)

Launched

14 Aug 1943

Commissioned

27 Oct 1943

Oblt. Friedrich-Wilhelm Sons

Commanders

Aug, 1943	-	Aug, 1943		Oblt. Hans-Joachim Förster (Knights Cross)
27 Oct 1943	-	27 Nov 1944		Oblt. (R) Friedrich-Wilhelm Sons

Career
5 patrols

27 Oct 1943	-	31 Jul 1944	5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1944	-	27 Nov 1944	8. Flottille (active service)

Successes

1 warship damaged, total tonnage 56 tons

Fate

Sunk on or after 27 November 1944 in the Baltic Sea north-west of Odensholm, in position 59.20N, 23.10E, by a Soviet mine. 51 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, September 2013).

Loss position

See the 1 ships hit by U-479 - View the 5 war patrols

In the summer of 2013 the wreck of a type VIIC U-boat was discovered by the Estonian Maritime Administration in a depth of 95 meters. It shows damage from mining and was tentatively identified as U-479 by Axel Niestlé.

Previously recorded fate

Listed as missing since 15 November 1944 with no explanation for its loss. In some Soviet sources mentioned as being lost after an underwater collision with the Soviet submarine Lembit south of Utö on 14 December 1944. However, the story is very doubtful because the position is far from the operational area of U-479 and an examination of the submarine hull in a dock afterwards showed only light damage, probably from grazing a wreck.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-479 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.