German submarine U-188

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-188
Ordered15 August 1940
BuilderDeSchiMAG, Bremen
Yard number1028
Laid down18 August 1941
Launched31 March 1942
Commissioned5 August 1942
FateScuttled 25 August 1944 in Bordeaux, later raised and broken up in 1947
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXC/40 submarine
Displacement
  • 1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a
  • 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1][2]
Part of:
Identification codes: M 10 459
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 3 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 4 March – 4 May 1943
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 30 June – 30 October 1943
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 1 January – 19 June 1944
Victories:
  • 8 merchant ships sunk
    (49,725 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk
    (1,190 tons)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (9,977 GRT)

German submarine U-188 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service during World War II.

Laid down on 18 August 1941 by Deutsche Schiff- und Maschinenbau AG (DeSchiMAG) of Bremen as yard number 1028, she was launched on 31 March 1942 and commissioned on 5 August under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Siegfried Lüdden.

The boat carried out three patrols and she was a member of three wolfpacks. She sank eight ships and one warship; she also damaged one ship.

She was scuttled at Bordeaux, France on 25 August 1944. The wreck was broken up in 1947.

  1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-188". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  2. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-188". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Siegfried Lüdden (Knight's Cross)". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 April 2015.