The Flottenbegleiter F5 was u sed in the 1st Geleitflotille after being commissioned. Put out of service in April 1939 to be rebuild as a training ship for the anti-submarine school. On 18.12.1939 the ship was put into service again and was attached to the 23rd and 25th U-Flottilla as a torpedo recovery vessel where it served almost the entire war. In 1944 it was assigned to the 7th M-flotilla in the North Sea and returned to the Baltic Sea in January 1945. On 29.01.1945 it was hit by a ground mine between Copenhagen and Swinemünde and despite its heavy damage - the complete stern was destroyed - it kept afloat. When it was tried to tow the ship to Swinemünde, the F5 collided with a wreck and capsized.