German submarine U-107 (1940)

U-107 at Lorient in November 1941
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-107
Ordered24 May 1938
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number970
Laid down6 December 1939
Launched2 July 1940
Commissioned8 October 1940
HomeportLorient, France
FateSunk, 18 August 1944[1]
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXB U-boat
Displacement
  • 1,051 t (1,034 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,178 t (1,159 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Draught4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h; 20.9 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range
  • 12,000 nmi (22,000 km; 14,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement48 to 56 officers and ratings
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 39 808
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 13 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 24 January – 1 March 1941
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 29 March – 2 July 1941
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 6 September – 11 November 1941
  • 4th patrol:
  • 10 – 26 December 1941
  • 5th patrol:
  • 7 January – 7 March 1942
  • 6th patrol:
  • 21 April – 11 July 1942
  • 7th patrol:
  • 15 August – 18 November 1942
  • 8th patrol:
  • 30 January – 25 March 1943
  • 9th patrol:
  • 24 April – 26 May 1943
  • 10th patrol:
  • a. 28 July – 3 October 1943
  • b. 10 – 12 November 1943
  • 11th patrol:
  • a. 16 November 1943 – 8 January 1944
  • b. 30 April – 2 May 1944
  • 12th patrol:
  • 10 May – 23 July 1944
  • 13th patrol:
  • 16 – 18 Aug 1944
Victories:
  • 37 merchant ships sunk
    (207,375 GRT)
  • 2 auxiliary warships sunk
    (10,411 GRT)
  • 3 merchant ships damaged
    (17,392 GRT)
  • 1 auxiliary warship damaged
    (8,246 GRT)

German submarine U-107 was a Type IXB U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II. Between January 1941 and August 1944, she sailed on 13 active patrols at a time when a U-boat averaged a lifespan of seven to ten patrols. During that time, U-107 sank 39 Allied ships and damaged four. The U-boat was launched on 2 July 1940, based at the U-boat port of Lorient, with a crew of 53 under the initial command of Günter Hessler. She was later commanded, in order, by Harald Gelhaus, Valker Simmermacher and her final commander, Karl Heinz Fritz.

  1. ^ Kemp 1999, p. 210.