German submarine U-634

{{Infobox ship image

|Ship image=

|Ship caption=

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{{Infobox ship career

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|Ship country=Nazi Germany

|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}

|Ship name=U-634

|Ship ordered=15 August 1940

|Ship builder=Blohm & Voss, Hamburg

|Ship yard number=610

|Ship laid down=23 September 1941

|Ship launched=10 June 1942

|Ship commissioned=6 August 1942

|Ship fate=Sunk 30 August 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|40|13|N|19|24|W|display=inline, title}}, by depth charges from {{HMS|Stork|L81|6}} & {{HMS|Stonecrop|K142|6}}.

}}

{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Header caption=

|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

{{convert|769|t|LT|0|lk=on}} surfaced
{{convert|871|t|LT|0|abbr=on}} submerged

|Ship length=

{{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship beam=

{{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
{{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull

|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship draught={{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}

|Ship power=

{{convert|2800|–|3200|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
{{convert|750|PS|kW shp|abbr=on}} (electric)

|Ship propulsion=

2 shafts
2 × diesel engines
2 × electric motors

|Ship speed=

{{convert|17.7|kn|lk=in}} surfaced
{{convert|7.6|kn}} submerged

|Ship range=

{{convert|8500|nmi|abbr=on|lk=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
{{convert|80|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged

|Ship test depth=

{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
Crush depth: {{convert|250|–|295|m|ft|abbr=on}}

|Ship complement=4 officers, 40–56 enlisted

|Ship sensors=

|Ship EW=

|Ship armament=

5 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
1 × 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun (220 rounds)
1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun

}}

{{Infobox service record

|is_ship=yes

|label=Service record{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u634.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-634

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=31 August 2014

}}

|partof=

5th U-boat Flotilla
6 August 1942 – 31 January 1943
9th U-boat Flotilla
1 February – 30 August 1943

|codes=M 23 270

|commanders=

Oblt.z.S. Hans-Günther Brosin
6 August 1942 – 2 February 1943
Oblt.z.S. Eberhard Dahlhaus
28 January – 30 August 1943

|operations=*3 patrols:

1st patrol:
18 February – 23 March 1943
2nd patrol:
15 April – 23 May 1943
3rd patrol:
12 June – 30 August 1943

|victories=*1 merchant ship sunk
({{GRT|7,176}})

}}

German submarine U-634 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

She was laid down on 23 September 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 610, launched on 10 June 1942 and commissioned on 6 August 1942 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Brosin.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-634 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-634 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 6 August 1942, followed by active service on 1 February 1943 as part of the 9th Flotilla for the remainder of her service. In three patrols she sank one merchant ship, for a total of {{GRT|7,176|disp=long}}.

=Fate=

U-634 was sunk on 30 August 1943 in the North Atlantic in position {{coord|40|13|N|19|24|W}}, by depth charges from {{HMS|Stork|L81|6}} and {{HMS|Stonecrop|K142|6}}, escorting the Allied convoys SL 135/MKS 22. All crew members of U-634 died.

=Wolfpacks=

U-634 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:

Westmark (6 – 11 March 1943)
Amsel (22 April – 3 May 1943)
Amsel 2 (3 – 6 May 1943)
Elbe (7 – 10 May 1943)
Elbe 1 (10 – 14 May 1943)

Summary of raiding history

class="wikitable sortable"
width="120px"\|Date ! width="180px"\|Ship Name ! width="160px"\|Nationality ! width="25px" \|Tonnage (GRT) ! width="80px" \|Fate{{cite web \|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u634.html \|title=Ships hit by U-634 \|last=Helgason \|first=Guðmundur \|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net \|access-date=31 August 2014 }}
align="right"\|2 March 1943 \|align="left" \|Meriwether Lewis \|align="left" \|{{flag\|United States\|1912}} \|align="right"\|7,176 \|align="left" \|Sunk

class="wikitable sortable"

width="120px"|Date

! width="180px"|Ship Name

! width="160px"|Nationality

! width="25px" |Tonnage
(GRT)

! width="80px" |Fate{{cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u634.html

|title=Ships hit by U-634

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net

|access-date=31 August 2014

}}

align="right"|2 March 1943

|align="left" |Meriwether Lewis

|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}

|align="right"|7,176

|align="left" |Sunk

References

Bibliography

{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
{{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}
{{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Eric |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith|translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel |title=German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |date=1991 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |volume=2 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Udg-0AEACAAJ|ref=CITEREFGröner1991}}
{{cite book

|last=Sharpe

|first=Peter

|title=U-Boat Fact File

|publisher=Midland Publishing

|location=Great Britain

|year=1998

|isbn=1-85780-072-9}}