View source for German submarine U-104 (1940)

{{other ships|German submarine U-104}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=
|Ship caption=
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Nazi Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|Ship name=''U-104''
|Ship ordered=24 May 1938
|Ship builder=[[DeSchiMAG]] [[AG Weser]], [[Bremen]]
|Ship yard number=967
|Ship laid down=10 November 1939
|Ship launched=25 May 1940
|Ship commissioned=19 August 1940
|Ship status=Missing since 28 November 1940 northwest of Ireland. All 49 of her crew are presumed lost<ref name="uboatnet"/>
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[German Type IXB submarine]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{convert|1051|t|LT|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1178|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length=
*{{convert|76.50|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[o/a]]
*{{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[pressure hull]]
|Ship beam=
*{{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
*{{convert|4.40|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|ship speed=
*{{convert|18.2|kn|lk=in|abbr=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|7.3|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=
*{{convert|12,000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|64|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged
|Ship power=
*{{convert|4400|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|1000|PS|kW shp|-1|abbr=on}} (electric)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 shafts
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[Motor-generator|electric motors]] 	
|Ship test depth=
*{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}} 	
|Ship complement=4 officers, 44 enlisted
|Ship armament=
*6 × [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 stern)
*22 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo]]es
*1 × [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/32]] [[deck gun]] (180 rounds)
*1 × [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] AA gun
*1 × twin [[2 cm FlaK 30]] AA guns
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=Service record<ref name="uboatnet">{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u104.html
 |title=The Type IXB boat U-104
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}</ref><ref name=Patrols>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u104.html
 |title=War Patrols by U-104
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}</ref>
|partof=
*[[2nd U-boat Flotilla]]
*19 August 1940–31 October 1940
*[[2nd U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 November 1940–28 November 1940
|codes=
|commanders=
*''[[Kptlt.]]'' [[Harald Jürst]]
*19 August 1940–28 November 1940 
|operations=
|victories=
}}
|}

'''German submarine ''U-104''''' was a [[German Type IX submarine#Type IXB|Type IXB]] [[U-boat]] of [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' during [[World War II]]. She was ordered by the ''Kriegsmarine'' on 24 May 1938 as part of the German naval rearmament program [[Plan Z]]. Her keel was laid down by [[DeSchiMAG]] [[AG Weser]] in [[Bremen]] in November 1939. Following about six and a half months of construction, she was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] in May 1940 and formally [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] into the ''Kriegsmarine'' in August 1940.

''U-104'' had a very short career, sinking just one enemy vessel and damaging one other during one war patrol. In the middle of her first patrol, ''U-104'' was posted missing off the north coast of Ireland on 28 November 1940 and was presumed sunk in [[Northern Barrage|minefield SN 44]], which was laid a few days prior to her arrival in the area.

==Construction and design==

===Construction===
{{main article|German Type IX submarine}}
''U-104'' was ordered by the ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' on 24 May 1938 (as part of Plan Z and in violation of the Treaty of Versailles). Her keel was laid down on 10 November 1939 by [[DeSchiMAG]] [[AG Weser]] in [[Bremen]] as yard number 967. ''U-104'' was [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 25 May 1940 and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 19 August of that year under the command of ''[[Kapitänleutnant]]'' [[Harald Jürst]].<ref name="uboatnet"/>

===Design===
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101II-MW-4260-37, Lorient, U-Boote U-123 und U-201 auslaufend.jpg|300px|left|thumb|''U-123''–an identical U-boat to ''U-104''–leaving Lorient on 8 June 1941]]
[[German Type IXA submarine]]s were slightly larger than the original [[German Type IXA submarine|German Type IX submarines]], later designated IXA.<ref name=Type>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/types/ixb.htm
 |title=Type IXB
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=U-Boat War in World War II - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}</ref> ''U-104'' had a displacement of {{convert|1051|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|1178|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} The U-boat had a total length of {{convert|76.50|m|ft|abbr=on|0}}, a [[pressure hull]] length of {{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a [[draught (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two [[MAN SE|MAN]] M 9 V 40/46 [[supercharged]] four-stroke, nine-cylinder [[diesel engine]]s producing a total of {{convert|4400|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two [[Siemens-Schuckert]] 2 GU 345/34 [[Motor–generator|double-acting electric motors]] producing a total of {{convert|1000|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.92|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[propeller]]s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|18.2|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.3|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|64|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|12000|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. ''U-104'' was fitted with six {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 [[torpedo]]es, one [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} SK C/32 naval gun]], 180 rounds, and a [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] as well as a [[2 cm FlaK 30|{{convert|2|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a [[Ship's company|complement]] of forty-eight.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

==Service history==
During her short career, ''U-104'' sank one enemy vessel and damaged another on her first and only war patrol in the [[North Sea]], off the northern coast of Ireland and Great Britain.<ref name=uboatnet/> She went to sea on her first and only war patrol on 12 November 1940. For a period of 17 days, she roamed the North Sea and eventually the northern coast of Scotland and Ireland in search of any Allied convoys heading to Great Britain. During that time she attacked two enemy vessels, sinking one and damaging the other.<ref name=Patrol1/> On 27 November 1940, ''U-104'' torpedoed and sank the British merchant vessel ''Diplomat'', a straggler of [[convoy HX 88]], with the loss of 14 of her crew.<ref name=Diplomat>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/677.html
 |title=Diplomat (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}</ref> The other merchant vessel was the British motor tanker ''Charles F. Meyer'', of [[convoy HX 87]], which survived the attack. The next day, ''U-104'' went missing just north of neutral Ireland. She is presumed to have been sunk by a mine from the SN 44 minefield, which was laid on 8 November 1940, just 20 days prior to ''U-104''{{'}}s disappearance.<ref name=Patrol1>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_3703.html
 |title=Patrol info for U-104 (First patrol)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}</ref> All of her crew are presumed dead.<ref name="uboatnet"/>

==Summary of raiding history==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"
|-
!Date
!Ship
!Nationality
!Tonnage
!Fate
|-
|align="right"|27 November 1940
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1940#27 November|''Charles F. Meyer'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|10,516
|align="left" |Damaged
|-
|align="right"|27 November 1940
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in November 1940#27 November|''Diplomat'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|8,240
|align="left" |Sunk
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{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 | ref = harv}}
*{{cite book
|last1=Busch
|first1=Rainer
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|work=Der U-Boot-Krieg
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=German
|ref=harv
}}
*{{cite book
|last1=Gröner
|first1=Erich
|author-link1=
|author-mask1=
|last2=Jung
|first2=Dieter
|display-authors=
|last-author-amp=
|last3=Maass
|first3=Martin
|translator-last1=Thomas
|translator-first1=Keith
|translator-last2=Magowan
|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|title=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|work=German Warships 1815–1945
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGr.C3.B6ner1991
}}

{{Refend}}

==External links==
*{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u104.html
 |title=The Type IXB boat U-104
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |accessdate=8 June 2010
}}
*{{cite web
|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0104.html
|title=''U 104''
|last=Hofmann
|first=Markus
|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de
|language=German
|accessdate=2014-12-06
}}

{{coord|55|30|N|8|0|W|display=title}}
{{German Type IXB submarines}}
{{November 1940 shipwrecks}}
{{Subject bar
| portal1=Military of Germany
| portal2=Submarine
| portal3=World War II
}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0104}}
[[Category:German Type IX submarines]]
[[Category:U-boats commissioned in 1940]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk in 1940]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Germany]]
[[Category:1940 ships]]
[[Category:Missing U-boats of World War II]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bremen (state)]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk by mines]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in November 1940]]