German submarine U-745

German submarine U-745 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II, and which was lost at sea on 31 January 1945.

U-745 was launched on 16 April 1943, under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Wilhelm von Trotha, who would remain its commanding officer for its entire service. U-745 had a crew of 45.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-745 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-745 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 undertook four patrols during her service, and sank one allied auxiliary ship, the Soviet minesweeping trawler T-45 Antikajnen (No. 48), and one allied warship, the Soviet fleet minesweeper T-76 Korall.

Fate
On 31 January 1945, she was lost with all hands in the Gulf of Finland by a mine laid by the Finnish minelayers FINNISH MINELAYER Louhi and FINNISH MINELAYER Ruotsinsalmi on 12 January 1945.

Wilhelm von Trotha's body was later found near Föglö, Finland, and was buried three days later. No other bodies were recovered. Unlike most U-boats, which suffered casualties during the course of service due to accidents or other causes, U-745 suffered no casualties at all, until the time of her disappearance.

In late 2012 the Finnish diving team 'Badewanne', after 10 years of searching, reported they had found both GS U-676 and U-745 in the Gulf of Finland south of Hanko.