# German submarine U-984

German submarine U-984 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 September 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 184, launched on 12 May 1943 and commissioned on 17 June 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Sieder.

## Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-984 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 Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 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-984 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 one twin 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 5th U-boat Flotilla on 17 June 1943, followed by active service on 1 August 1944 as part of the 9th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.
On 22 January 1944, Maschinenobergefreiter Hermann Keller was lost overboard in the North Atlantic.
On 8 June 1944, U-984 was bombed by an unidentified Allied aircraft and was sufficiently damaged to force a return to base on 9 June
In 5 patrols she accounted for the total loss of 3 merchant ships, for a total of 21,550 gross register tons (GRT), one warship total loss (1,300 tons) and damaged one other merchant ship.

### Wolfpacks

U-984 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:
* Rügen (14 – 26 January 1944)
* Stürmer (26 January – 3 February 1944)
* Igel 1 (3 – 17 February 1944)
* Dragoner (22 – 27 May 1944)

### Fate

Sunk on or about 2 August 1944 in the English Channel south-west of Brighton in position 50°03.732′N 00°32.398′W﻿ / ﻿50.062200°N 0.539967°W﻿ / 50.062200; -0.539967 by unknown cause. All hands were lost.

### Previously recorded fate

U-984 was sunk on 20 August 1944 in the North Atlantic in the Bay of Biscay in position 48°16′N 05°33′W﻿ / ﻿48.267°N 5.550°W﻿ / 48.267; -5.550, by depth charges from Canadian destroyers HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Kootenay and HMCS Chaudiere. All hands were lost. U-984 has subsequently been positively identified as the U-boat sunk on or about 2 August 1944 in the English Channel south-west of Brighton, in position 50.03.732N, 00.32.398W, by unknown cause, with presently no plausible explanation for its loss in the wreck position.

## Summary of raiding history

| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| 25 June 1944 | HMS Goodson | Royal Navy | 1,300 | Total loss |
| 29 June 1944 | Edward M. House | United States | 7,240 | Damaged |
| 29 June 1944 | H.G. Blasdel | United States | 7,176 | Total loss |
| 29 June 1944 | John A. Treutlen | United States | 7,198 | Total loss |
| 29 June 1944 | James A. Farrell | United States | 7,176 | Total loss |