German submarine U-719

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{{Infobox ship career

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|Ship country=Nazi Germany

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

|Ship name=U-719

|Ship ordered=25 August 1941

|Ship builder=H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg

|Ship yard number=785

|Ship laid down=3 July 1942

|Ship launched=28 April 1943

|Ship commissioned=27 July 1943

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|Ship fate=Sunk on 26 June 1944

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{{Infobox ship characteristics

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|Ship class=Type VIIC submarine

|Ship displacement=

{{convert|769|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}} surfaced
{{convert|871|t|LT|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=in}} 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 armament=

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

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{{Infobox service record

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|label=Service record

|partof=

5th U-boat Flotilla
27 July 1943 – 30 April 1944
3rd U-boat Flotilla
1 May – 26 June 1944

|codes=M 53 569

|commanders=*Oblt.z.S. Klaus-Dietrich Steffens

27 July 1943 – 26 June 1944

|operations=*1 patrol:

19 May – 26 June 1944

|victories=None

}}

German submarine U-719 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 3 July 1942 at the H. C. Stülcken Sohn yard at Hamburg, launched on 28 April 1943, and commissioned on 27 July 1943 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Klaus-Dietrich Steffens. Attached to 5th U-boat Flotilla based at Kiel, U-719 completed her training period on 30 April 1944 and was assigned to front-line service.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-719 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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-719 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 two twin 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43-46}}

Service history

On the first and only war patrol, U-719 was picked up by HMS Bulldog's ASDIC on 26 June 1944 northwest of Ireland. Bulldog attacked the U-boat with hedgehogs, destroying U-719 in the third attempt. All 52 crew members perished in the event.{{sfn|Busch|Röll|1999b|pp=261-262}}

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 = 1999a | 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=1999b|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}}