Name U-722 Yard number 788 Commissioned 15 December 1943 Launched 21 September 1943 Draft 4.74 m | Ordered 25 August 1941 Laid down 21 December 1942 Construction started 21 December 1942 Length 67 m Beam 6.2 m | |
Builder H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg | ||
German submarine U-722 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 21 December 1942 by H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg as yard number 788, launched on 21 September 1943 and commissioned on 15 December 1943 under Leutnant zur See Hans-Heinrich Reimers.
Contents
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-722 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged. 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 AEG GU 460/8–27 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).
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). 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-722 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, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
The boat's career began with training at 31st U-boat Flotilla on 15 December 1943, followed by active service on 1 August 1944 as part of the 1st Flotilla. When the situation deteriorated for the Germans in France, following the invasion, she transferred to 11th Flotilla in Norway for the remainder of her service.
In three patrols she sunk one merchant ship, for a total of 2,190 gross register tons (GRT).
Wolfpacks
U-722 took part in no wolfpacks.
Fate
U-722 was sunk on 27 March 1945 in the North Atlantic near the Hebrides, Scotland in position 57°09′N 06°55′W, by depth charges from British frigates HMS Fitzroy, HMS Redmill and HMS Byron. All hands were lost.