German submarine U-1022

U-995, a U-boat similar to U-1022, at the Laboe Naval Memorial
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-1022
Ordered13 June 1942[1]
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg[1]
Yard number222[1]
Laid down6 May 1943[1]
Launched13 April 1944[1]
Commissioned7 June 1944[1]
Fate
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC/41 submarine
Displacement
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Calculated crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement44-52 officers & ratings
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 38 350
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans-Joachim Ernst[1]
  • 7 June 1944 – 9 May 1945
Operations:
  • 1 patrol:
  • 12 February – 1 April 1945[1]
Victories:
  • 1 merchant ship sunk
    (1,392 GRT)[1]
  • 1 auxiliary warship sunk
    (328 GRT)[1]

German submarine U-1022 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine. She was laid down on 6 May 1943 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany, and commissioned on 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied landings in Normandy, with Kapitänleutnant Hans-Joachim Ernst in command. She sank two ships for a total of 1,720 GRT. After the war she was handed over to the Allies and sunk in Operation Deadlight.

Construction and design

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A cross-section of a Type VIIC submarine

German Type VIIC/41 submarines were preceded by the heavier Type VIIC submarines. U-1022 had a displacement of 759 tonnes (747 long tons) when at the surface and 860 tonnes (850 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-1022 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, (220 rounds), one 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 and two 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

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U-1022 was ordered by the Kriegsmarine on 13 June 1942. She was laid down less than one year later at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg on 6 May 1943 . U-1022 was launched from Hamburg on 13 April 1944. She was formally commissioned later that year on 7 June 1944, the day after the Allied landings at Normandy. After her training (during which she travelled from Germany to Norway), U-1022 left her home port of Bergen, Norway on her first and only patrol.[3] During this patrol, which lasted 49 days, U-1022 traveled from Norway to the southern coast of Iceland. In this time span she managed to sink two enemy vessels, the Panamanian steam merchant Alcedo for a loss of 1,392 GRT and the British vessel, HMT Southern Flower for a loss of 328 GRT. U-1022 arrived back in Bergen on 1 April 1945 and remained in port for the remainder of the war. Following Germany's defeat in the war, U-1022 along with most of the remaining German submarine fleet were sunk in Operation Deadlight.[1]

Summary of raiding history

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Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)
Fate[4]
28 February 1945 Alcedo  Panama 1,392 Sunk
3 March 1945 HMT Southern Flower  Royal Navy 328 Sunk

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-1022". German U-boats of WWII - Uboat.net. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Patrol info for U-1022 (First patrol)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 31 May 2010.
  4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-1022". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 May 2014.

Bibliography

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  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815–1945, U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
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