German submarine U-431

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-431
Ordered:	23 September 1939
Builder:	Schichau-Werke, Danzig
Yard number:	1472
Laid down:	4 January 1940
Launched:	2 February 1941
Commissioned:	5 April 1941
Fate:	Sunk on 21 October 1943 near Algiers at position 37°23′N 00°35′E / 37.383°N 0.583°E / 37.383; 0.583Coordinates: 37°23′N 00°35′E / 37.383°N 0.583°E / 37.383; 0.583 by depth charges from a RAF Wellington bomber of 179 Squadron. All hands were lost.
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.74 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:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:	4 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes in the bow 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns
Service record
Part of:	3rd U-boat Flotilla 5 April – 1 July 1941 – Training 3rd U-boat Flotilla 1 July – 31 December 1941 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 January 1942 – 21 October 1943
Commanders:	Kptlt. Wilhelm Dommes (Knight’s Cross) 5 April 1941 - 6 January 1943 Oblt.z.S. Dietrich Schöneboom (Knight’s Cross) 15 December 1942 – 21 October 1943
Operations:	1st patrol: 10 July – 11 August 1941 2nd patrol: 13 September – 12 October 1941 3rd patrol: 16 November – 20 December 1941 4th patrol: 25 January – 10 February 1942 5th patrol: 18 March – 15 April 1942 6th patrol: 14–30 May 1942 7th patrol: 4–20 June 1942 8th patrol: 2–27 September 1942 9th patrol: 29 September – 4 November 1942 10th patrol: 7–22 November 1942 11th patrol: 7 January – 8 February 1943 12th patrol: 11–29 March 1943 13th patrol: 20–29 May 1943 14th patrol: 5–27 June 1943 15th patrol: 9 August – 1 September 1943 16th patrol: 26 September – 21 October 1943
Victories:	6 merchant ships sunk (7,679 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (3,560 GRT) 1 merchant ship total loss (6,415 GRT) 3 warships sunk (3,861 tons) 1 warship damaged (450 tons)

German submarine U-431 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 4 January 1940 by Schichau-Werke in Danzig as yard number 1472, launched on 2 February 1941 and commissioned on 5 April 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes (Knight’s Cross).

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-431 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 460/8-276 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).

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