German World War II submarine
German submarine "U-771" was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's "Kriegsmarine" during World War II. She was ordered on 21 November 1940, and was laid down on 21 August 1942 at Kriegsmarinewerft, Wilhelmshaven, as yard number 154. She was launched on 26 September 1943 and commissioned under the command of "Oberleutnant zur See" Helmut Block on 18 November of that year.
Design.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. "U-771" had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of , a pressure hull length of , a beam of , a height of , and a draught of . The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Garbe, Lahmeyer &amp; Co. RP 137/c double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to .
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of . When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at . "U-771" was fitted with five torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one Flak M42 and two twin C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history.
"U-771" had a comparatively brief service career. While she was commissioned on 18 November 1943, she was not assigned to any war flotillas until 1 June 1944. She was in action for less than a year before being sunk on 11 November 1944, after only two patrols at sea.
First patrol.
Following training exercises with the 31st U-boat Flotilla from 18 November 1943 until 31 May 1944, "U-771" was assigned to the 9th U-boat Flotilla on 1 June 1944, and was given the position as the lead boat in the flotilla. The next day, "U-771" left the port city of Hatvik for Bergen, occupied Norway. On 21 June 1944, "U-771" began her first war patrol, leaving the port city of Stavanger (at which she had arrived from Bergen the day before). For a period of 25 days, "U-771" roamed the North Sea in search of Allied convoys. While she never made contact with any enemy vessels, on 26 June 1944, a British Consolidated Liberator aircraft coded 'N' from No. 86 Squadron RAF engaged "U-771" and just north of the British Isles. ;ref name="Uboat.net/air" ; ;/ref ; "U-317" was sunk during the action, but flak from "U-771" damaged the Liberator and forced it back to base, where it was judged damaged beyond repair. "U-771" continued her patrol. This was the only time during the war that "U-771" had any contact with the enemy prior to her sinking. On 15 July, "U-771" returned to her U-boat base at Bergen.
Second patrol.
"U-771" spent the next three months travelling to various Norwegian ports, including Trondheim, Kristiansand, Bergen, Bogenbucht, and Hammerfest. During this time, "U-771" was reassigned to the 11th U-boat Flotilla on 1 August 1944; she remained a part of that flotilla until 30 September, when she was again reassigned, this time to the 13th U-boat Flotilla. On 14 October 1944, "U-771" finally left Hammerfest and headed into the Arctic Ocean. Twenty-nine days after she left Hammerfest, on 11 November 1944, "U-771" was sunk in the Andfjord near Harstad, Norway, by a torpedo fired by the British submarine . All 51 of her crewmembers were killed.
Wolfpacks.
"U-771" took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
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