SM U-104

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-104.

History
German Empire
Name	SM U-104
Ordered	15 September 1915
Builder	AG Weser, Bremen
Laid down	4 August 1916
Launched	3 July 1917
Commissioned	12 August 1917
Fate	Depth-charged and sunk 25 April 1918. 41 dead, 1 survivor.
General characteristics
Class and type	German Type U 57 submarine
Displacement	750 t (740 long tons) surfaced 952 t (937 long tons) submerged
Length	67.60 m (221 ft 9 in) (o/a) 54.02 m (177 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Beam	6.32 m (20 ft 9 in) (o/a) 4.05 m (13 ft 3 in) (pressure hull)
Height	8.25 m (27 ft 1 in)
Draught	3.65 m (12 ft)
Installed power	2 × 2,400 PS (1,765 kW; 2,367 shp) surfaced 2 × 1,200 PS (883 kW; 1,184 shp) submerged
Propulsion	2 shafts, 2 × 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) propellers
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph) surfaced 8.8 knots (16.3 km/h; 10.1 mph) submerged
Range	10,100 nmi (18,700 km; 11,600 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) surfaced 56 nmi (104 km; 64 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth	50 m (164 ft 1 in)
Complement	4 officers, 32 enlisted
Armament	4 × 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes (two bow, two stern) 10–12 torpedoes 2 × 8.8 cm (3.5 in) SK L/30 deck gun
Service record
Part of:	Kaiserliche Marine II Flotilla 1 October 1917 – 25 April 1918
Commanders:	Kptlt. Kurt Bernis 1 October 1917 – 25 April 1918
Operations:	4 patrols
Victories:	8 merchant ships sunk 10,795 GRT

SM U-104 was a German Type U 57 U-boat during the First World War. U-104 was built at AG Weser in Bremen, launched on 3 July 1917 and commissioned on 12 August 1917. She completed four patrols under Kptlt. Kurt Bernis and was responsible for the sinking of eight vessels of a total of 10,795 gross register tons (GRT). Among these was the American lightship LV 71, stationed at Diamond Shoals; the latter reported the submarine's presence in the area, at which point Bernis notified the lightship of his intentions and allowed her crew to depart before shelling the vessel and sinking her.

Loss

On 25 April 1918 the U-104 was engaged by USS Cushing in St. George's Channel and severely damaged. Later the same day HMS Jessamine came upon her and dropped further depth-charges, sinking her and leaving but a single survivor of her 42-member crew. The wreckage lies at position 51°59′N 6°26′W.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
26 October 1917	Sapele	United Kingdom	4,366	Sunk
15 December 1917	Maidag	Norway	1,253	Sunk
21 December 1917	Spro	Norway	1,507	Sunk
25 December 1917	Ajax	Denmark	1,018	Sunk
2 March 1918	Kenmare	United Kingdom	1,330	Sunk
12 April 1918	Njaal	Russian Empire	578	Sunk
16 April 1918	Widwud	Russian Empire	299	Sunk
22 April 1918	Fern	United Kingdom	444	Sunk

See also

• U-boat Campaign (World War I)

Bibliography

• Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |last-author-amp= (help)