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</script> </div> <div align="center"> <h3><a href="/boats/">List of all U-boats</a></h3><h1>U-459</h1> </div> <div align="center"> <table class="table_subtle width650"><tr> <td class="width100"><h3>Type</h3></td><td class="width95" align="center" class="seperator"><h3><a href="/types/xiv.htm" class="header">XIV</a></h3></td><td> </td></tr> <tr><td>Ordered</td><td class="seperator">14 May 1940</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Laid down</td><td class="seperator">22 Nov 1940</td> <td class="seperator"><a href="/technical/shipyards/dw-k.htm">Deutsche Werke AG, Kiel</a> (werk 290)</td></tr> <tr><td>Launched</td><td class="seperator">13 Sep 1941</td><td><br/></td></tr> <tr><td>Commissioned</td><td class="seperator">15 Nov 1941</td><td class="seperator"> Kptlt. Georg von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff</td></tr> <tr><td>Commanders</td> <td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="width85 right">15 Nov 1941</td><td> - </td><td class="width90 right">24 Jul 1943</td><td>  </td><td>KrvKpt. <a href="/men/commanders/1351.html"> Georg von Wilamowitz-M枚llendorf</a> (<a href="/men/decorations/5.html">German Cross in Gold</a>) </td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Career<br><a href="/boats/patrols/u459.html">6 patrols</a></td><td colspan="2" class="seperator"><table class="table-clean"><tr><td class="right">15 Nov 1941</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Mar 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/4flo.htm">4. Flottille</a> (training)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Apr 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">31 Oct 1942</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/10flo.htm">10. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr><tr><td class="right">1 Nov 1942</td><td>-</td><td class="right">24 Jul 1943</td><td>  <a href="/flotillas/12flo.htm">12. Flottille</a> (active service)<br></td></tr></table></td></tr> <tr><td>Successes</td><td colspan="2" class="seperator">No ships sunk or damaged</td></tr> <tr><td class="width100">Fate</td> <td colspan="2" class="width400 seperator"> <p>The boat was scuttled on July 24 1943 after being attacked by two British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 172/Q & 547/V) north-west of Corunna, Spain, in position 45.53N, 10.38W. 18 dead and 41 survivors.</p> </td></tr> <tr><td>Loss position</td> <td colspan="3"> <style media="screen" type="text/css"> #mapFate {width:510px; height: 270px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 20px;} </style> <div id="mapFate" align="center"></div> <script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"> var mymap = L.map('mapFate').setView([46.53, -10.38], 4) L.tileLayer('/map-tiles/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', { attribution: 'map 漏 OpenStreetMap contributors | ship info by uboat.net', maxZoom: 10, }).addTo(mymap); var iconFate = L.icon({ iconUrl: '/media/maps/googlemarkers/orange_Marker.png', iconSize: [20, 34], iconAnchor: [10, 34], }); var marker = L.marker([45.88, -10.63], {icon: iconFate}).addTo(mymap).bindPopup('<strong>U-459</strong>. The boat was scuttled on July 24 1943 after being attacked by two British Wellington aircraft (Sqdn. 172/Q & 547/V) north-west of Corunna, Spain, in position 45.53N, 10.38W.'); </script> </td> </tr> </table>  <p class="np"><a href="/boats/patrols/u459.html">View the 6 war patrols</a><br></p> </div> <h3>Wolfpack operations</h3> <p>U-459 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career: <br>   <a href="/ops/wolfpacks/79.html">Eisb盲r</a> (25 Aug 1942 - 1 Sep 1942) </p> <h3>Attacks on this boat and other events</h3> <div class="content_box"> <p><strong>30 May 1943</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Whitley Z9440 (10 OTU RAF/N, pilot Sgt L.O. Slade) <p>12.00 hrs, NW of Finisterre, inbound: the Whitley (misidentified as a Lancaster) made two attack runs dropping four bombs on each run, but without result. It was hit by flak during the second attack, and later had to ditch because of engine trouble. The six crew were rescued by a Spanish trawler.</p> <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>30 May 1943</strong><br/>12.22 hrs, NW of Finisterre, inbound: a British <a href="/allies/aircraft/b24.htm">B-24 Liberator</a> (224 Sqn RAF/G, pilot F/L M.J. Elworthy) attacked the boat 22 minutes after it had shot down another aircraft. Ten depth charges were dropped during three runs, with the aircraft suffering flak damage in the process. The boat escaped unharmed. <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p><strong>24 Jul 1943</strong><br/>Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down: British <a href="/allies/aircraft/wellington.htm">Wellington</a> (172 Sqn RAF/Q, pilot: F/O W.H.T. Jennings)<p> <strong>The sinking of U-459</strong> <p>approx. 17.15 hrs, NW of Corunna, Spain: despite taking the boat by surprise, the Wellington was hit by heavy and accurate AA fire on the initial attack run, lost control, and crashed into the boat on the starboard side. Only the tail gunner (Sgt A.A. Turner) survived, when his turret separated on impact and he found himself in the water close to an inflated dinghy. The remaining five aircrew were killed. U-459 lost several gunners and most of the AA guns in the crash, and the crew found three unexploded depth charges on deck when clearing the wreckage. They decided to roll them into the sea at high speed, but at least one exploded, close enough to disable the steering gear and cause severe damage to the stern compartments.</p> <p>At approx. 17.30 hrs, a second Wellington (547 Sqn RAF/V, pilot F/O J. Whyte) strafed the boat and dropped seven depth charges, causing further damage. The commander then ordered the crew to abandon ship and scuttled the boat - apparently choosing to go down with his ship. 41 Germans and the sole British survivor were picked up by <a href="/allies/warships/ship/5436.html">ORP Orkan</a> some 8 hours later.</p> <cite>(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)</cite></p> <p>3 recorded attacks on this boat.</p> </div> <h3>General notes on this boat</h3><p><strong>10 Jan 1943</strong>. On 10 Jan 1943 the Italian submarine CAGNI refuelled from <a href="/boats/u459.htm">U-459</a> near the Equator before returning to base at <a href="/flotillas/bases/bordeaux.htm">Bordeaux</a>.</p> <h3>Men lost from U-boats</h3> <p>Unlike <a href="/men/men_lost.htm">many other U-boats</a>, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-459 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.</p> <h3>U-boat Emblems</h3> <p>We have 1 <strong>emblem</strong> entry for this boat. See the emblem page <a href="/special/emblems/u459.html">for this boat</a> or view emblems individually below.</p> <table><tr> <td class="width95"><a href="/special/emblems/emblem594.html"><img src="/media/boats/emblems/emblem_missing.gif" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Elephant and Trees</a></td> </tr></table><br> <div align="center"> <h3>Media links</h3> <table> <tr> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/2346"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/184884008X.jpg" alt="" /> <br>The Milk Cows</a><br>John F White</p><div class="left"><br> <img src="/media/images/flags/small/flag-uk_s.gif" alt="" /> <a href="/about/scripts/amazon_co_uk.php?book=184884008X&path=/boats/u459.htm">amazon.co.uk</a> <br>(拢 17.99)</div></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/279"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_tankers.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Tankers, 1941-1945</a><br>White, John F.</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/267"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/u-boat_operations2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1</a><br>Wynn, Kenneth</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/525"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/german_u-boat_losses.jpg" alt="" /> <br>German U-Boat Losses During World War II</a><br>Niestle, Axel</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/538"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war2.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/490"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/dark_sky_deep_water.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Dark Sky, Deep Water</a><br>Franks, Norman</p></td> <td class="width140"><p><a href="/books/item/537"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/hitlers_uboat_war.jpg" alt="" /> <br>Hitler's U-boat War</a><br>Blair, Clay</p></td></tr> </table> </div> <br><br>  <p class='center'><br/>As an Amazon Associate uboat.net earns a commission from qualifying purchases.</p> <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div>  <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright">  © 1995 - 2024 Guðmundur Helgason </div> </div>  </div>  </body></html>