List of all U-boats

U-5

Type

IIA

 
Ordered2 Feb 1935
Laid down11 Feb 1935 Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel (werk 240)
Launched14 Aug 1935
Commissioned31 Aug 1935Oblt. Rolf Dau
Commanders
31 Aug 1935 - 27 Sep 1936  Kptlt. Rolf Dau
1 Oct 1936 - 2 Feb 1938  Kptlt. Gerhard Glattes
3 Feb 1938 - 4 Dec 1939  Kptlt. Günter Kutschmann
5 Dec 1939 - 11 Aug 1940  Kptlt. Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock (Knights Cross)
12 Aug 1940 - 27 Mar 1941  Oblt. Herbert Opitz
28 Mar 1941 - 6 Jan 1942  Oblt. Friedrich Bothe
7 Jan 1942 - 23 Mar 1942  Oblt. Karl Friederich
26 Mar 1942 - May, 1942  Oblt. Hans-Dieter Mohs (German Cross in Gold)
May, 1942 - 9 Nov 1942  Oblt. Kurt Pressel
10 Nov 1942 - 19 Mar 1943  Oblt. Hermann Rahn
Mar, 1943 - Mar, 1943  Ltn. Alfred Radermacher (German Cross in Gold)
Career
2 patrols
1 Sep 1935-1 Sep 1939  U-Bootschulflottille (school boat)
1 Oct 1939-1 Feb 1940  U-Bootschulflottille (school boat)
1 Mar 1940-1 Apr 1940  U-Bootschulflottille (active service)
1 May 1940-30 Jun 1940  U-Bootschulflottille (school boat)
1 Jul 1940-19 Mar 1943  21. Flottille (school boat)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sank 19 March 1943 in the Baltic Sea west of Pillau, in position 54.40N, 19.45E, in a diving accident. 21 dead and 16 survivors.

Loss position

View the 2 war patrols

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-5 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.


Media links


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1
Wynn, Kenneth


German U-Boat Losses During World War II
Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War
Blair, Clay

There was another U-5 in World War One
That boat was launched from its shipyard on 8 Jan 1910 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 2 Jul 1910. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 5 during WWI.




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