German submarine U-858

U-858 after her surrender in May 1945
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-858
Ordered5 June 1941
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number1064
Laid down11 December 1942
Launched17 June 1943
Commissioned30 September 1943
Fate
  • Surrendered on 14 May 1945
  • Scuttled on 21 November 1947
General characteristics
Class & typeType IXC/40 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of
Identification codesM 52 646
Commanders
  • Kptlt. Thilo Bode
  • 30 September 1943 – 14 May 1945
Operations
  • 2 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • a. 12 June – 27 September 1944
  • b. 28 – 29 September 1944
  • c. 1 – 4 October 1944
  • d. 2 – 9 March 1945
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 11 March – 14 May 1945
VictoriesNone

German submarine U-858 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was ordered on 5 June 1941, laid down on 11 December 1942 and launched on 17 June 1943. She had one commander for her two patrols, Kapitänleutnant Thilo Bode.[1] U-858 was officially surrendered to the United States at Fort Miles in Delaware in May 1945,[2] becoming the first foreign surrender on American soil since the War of 1812.[3]

Design

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-858 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.[4] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[4]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[4] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-858 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 as well as two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[4]

Service history

Kptlt. Thilo Bode (at right) during the formal surrender of U-858

The submarine was sent by Germany at the end of the war to cause havoc along the East Coast of the United States, in an attempt to repeat the success of Operation Drumbeat. However, she saw no combat in that mission and did not sink or damage any allied ships during the war.

Her captain, Kapitanleutnant Thilo Bode,[5][a] formally surrendered her on 14 May 1945[b] at Fort Miles near Lewes, Delaware.[c] This was the first instance of a foreign surrender occurring within the United States since the War of 1812.[3][9]

After surrendering, the submarine was used for publicity in war bond drives.[10] After being used for torpedo practice near the New England area, she was scuttled by the U.S. Navy on 21 November 1947.[11]

Notes

  1. ^ Bode died in January 2014 in Munich, aged 95.[6]
  2. ^ Other German U-boats surrendered to other Allied forces prior to U-858 surrendering to American forces; these include U-249 on May 10 and U-3008 on May 11.[7]
  3. ^ While the formal surrender took place on May 14 at Fort Miles, U-858 first gave herself up at sea four days earlier.[8]

References

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-858". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  2. ^ "Surrendered U-Boat Slated To Dock Today". The Tennessean. Nashville Tennessean. United Press. 13 May 1945. p. 10. Retrieved 22 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Giangreco, Leigh (23 April 2014). "'Delaware Goes to War' at Fort Miles". The Daily Times. Salisbury, Maryland. p. T14. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  5. ^ "80-G-320315: Surrender of German U-boats, 1945". history.navy.mil. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  6. ^ "Thilo Bode". uboat.net. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  7. ^ "Surrender of German U-boats". history.navy.mil. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  8. ^ "Surrender of U-858". history.navy.mil. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  9. ^ Wray, Gary (2005). "4: The Surrender of U-858 at Fort Miles". Images of America: Fort Miles. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. pp. 91–109. ISBN 0-7385-4195-8.
  10. ^ Wray, Gary (December 2004). "Fort Miles & Two German Submarines: The Story of U-853 & U-858" (PDF). FMHA. Fort Miles Historical Association. pp. 3–4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2010 – via Wayback Machine.
  11. ^ "Navy to Sink German Subs". Duluth News Tribune. Duluth, Minnesota. AP. 20 November 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2026 – via newspapers.com.

Bibliography

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to U-858 (submarine, 1943).
  • Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-858". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  • Hofmann, Markus. "U 858". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 2 February 2015.

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