# German submarine U-406

German submarine U-406 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 6 September 1940 by Danziger Werft, Danzig as yard number 107, launched on 16 June 1941 and commissioned on 22 October 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Horst Dietrichs, the ship's only commander.

## Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-406 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 Siemens-Schuckert GU 343/38–8 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-406 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

## Service history

The boat's career began with training at 8th U-boat Flotilla on 22 October 1941, followed by active service on 1 May 1942 as part of the 7th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
She was attacked by a torpedo from a British Submarine on 5 May 1942, but the torpedo missed.
During the attack of Convoy ON 92 on May 11 and May 12, 1942, U-406 would suffer from torpedo launch failures on two separate occasions thus failing to hit any ship.
On 5 May 1943, the boat collided with U-600, causing heavy damage to both ships and required a premature return to base in Saint Nazaire, France.
In eight patrols she sank one merchant ship, for a total of 7,452 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged three merchant ships for a total of 13,285 GRT.

### Wolfpacks

U-406 took part in eleven wolfpacks:
* Hecht (8 May – 18 June 1942)
* Blücher (14 – 28 August 1942)
* Iltis (6 – 23 September 1942)
* Spitz (22 – 31 December 1942)
* Neuland (4 – 13 March 1943)
* Dränger (14 – 20 March 1943)
* Drossel (29 April – 5 May 1943)
* Rügen (14 – 26 January 1944)
* Stürmer (26 January – 3 February 1944)
* Igel 1 (3 – 17 February 1944)
* Hai 1 (17 – 18 February 1944)

### Fate

U-406 was sunk on 18 February 1944 in the North Atlantic in position 48°32′N 23°36′W﻿ / ﻿48.533°N 23.600°W﻿ / 48.533; -23.600, by depth charges from Royal Navy frigate HMS Spey. Twelve of the crew were killed, while 45 survived.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate |
| 19 August 1942 | City of Manila | United Kingdom | 7,452 | Sunk |
| 28 December 1942 | Baron Cochrane | United Kingdom | 3,385 | Damaged |
| 28 December 1942 | Lynton Grange | United Kingdom | 5,029 | Damaged |
| 28 December 1942 | Zarian | United Kingdom | 4,871 | Damaged |

## Legacy

U-406 is mentioned in Wolfpack, a song released by the Power metal band Sabaton in their 2005 debut studio album Primo Victoria.