German submarine U-744

German submarine U-744 was a type VIIC U-boat, launched on 11 March 1943, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Heinz Blischke.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-744 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two AEG GU 460/8–27 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-744 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and two twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
She had two patrols, one from 2 December 1943 until 15 January 1944 and 24 February 1944 until 6 March 1944. She sank two ships in total, SS Empire Housman on 3 January 1944, and the landing ship tank HMS LST-362 on 2 March 1944.

U-744 was forced to surface on 6 March 1944, after a 31-hour pursuit by British and Canadian ships. She was depth-charged by HMS Icarus (D03), causing her crew to abandon her. They were picked up by the corvette HMS Kenilworth Castle (K420), the Canadian frigate HMCS St. Catharines (K325), corvettes HMCS Fennel (K194) and HMCS Chilliwack (K131) and destroyers HMCS Chaudiere and HMCS Gatineau (H61) in the North Atlantic. U-744 was then boarded by Allied sailors, who retrieved code books and other documents. Most of this was lost while being transferred between the U-Boat and the Allied ships. After attempts to tow the submarine into port failed, U-744 was scuttled by the allied warships.

Wolfpacks
U-744 took part in five wolfpacks, namely:
 * Coronel 1 (15 – 17 December 1943)
 * Sylt (18 – 23 December 1943)
 * Rügen 2 (23 – 28 December 1943)
 * Rügen 1 (28 December 1943 – 3 January 1944)
 * Preussen (26 February – 6 March 1944)