U-604

Type

VIIC

Ordered

22 May 1940

Laid down

27 Feb 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 580)

Launched

16 Nov 1941

Commissioned

8 Jan 1942

Kptlt. Horst Höltring

Commanders

8 Jan 1942

11 Aug 1943

Kptlt. Horst Höltring (German Cross in Gold)

Career
6 patrols

8 Jan 1942	-	31 Jul 1942	5. Flottille (training)
1 Aug 1942	-	11 Aug 1943	9. Flottille (active service)

Successes

6 ships sunk, total tonnage 39,891 GRT

Fate

Scuttled on 11 August 1943 in the South Atlantic north-west of Ascension Island, in position 04.15S, 21.20W, after being badly damaged by depth charges from a US Ventura aircraft (VB-129 USN/B-9) on 30 July 1943. 14 dead and 31 survivors.

Loss position

See the 6 ships hit by U-604 - View the 6 war patrols

The loss of U-603 is described in the article 24 August 1943: The Sinking of U 185 by Marc-André Haldimann.

Wolfpack operations

U-604 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Vorwärts (25 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942)
   Streitaxt (20 Oct 1942 - 31 Oct 1942)
   Draufgänger (1 Dec 1942 - 11 Dec 1942)
   Ungestüm (11 Dec 1942 - 22 Dec 1942)
   Knappen (19 Feb 1943 - 25 Feb 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

21 Feb 1943
The target of the depth charge attack on 21 Feb. 1943 in the North Atlantic at 51. 25N, 27. 28W by Coast Guard cutter USS John C. Spencer, believed to have sunk U-225, was in fact U-604, which escaped unscathed. (Sources: 1987-05-01, FDS/NHB)

30 Jul 1943
U-604 was attacked by a US Ventura (VB-129 USN) off the coast of Brazil on 30 July, and both the IWO and Coxswain were killed in action. [Oberleutnant zur See Frank Aschmann (see right) and Oberbootsmaat Herbert Lurz]. The boat was left in a crippled state, but managed to escape from the area. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)

3 Aug 1943
Already crippled from an attack three days earlier, the boat was attacked by a US Liberator aircraft (VB-107 USN, pilot LtCdr Bertram J. Prueher), which was shot down by the accompanying U-185.

3 Aug 1943
After evading an attack by a B-24 Liberator earlier in the day, U-604 was depth charged by two American destroyers while proceeding submerged, but managed to elude her attackers and escape once again. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 371)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.