German submarine U-238

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-238
Ordered	20 January 1941
Builder	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	668
Laid down	21 April 1942
Launched	7 January 1943
Commissioned	20 February 1943
Fate	Sunk by surface craft, 9 February 1944[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels) 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth	230 m (750 ft) Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) 2 × twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 20 February – 31 July 1943 1st U-boat Flotilla 1 August 1943 – 9 February 1944
Identification codes:	M 50 141
Commanders:	Kptlt. Horst Hepp 20 February 1943 – 9 February 1944
Operations:	3 patrols: 1st patrol: 5 September – 8 October 1943 2nd patrol: 11 November – 12 December 1943 3rd patrol: 27 January – 9 February 1944
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk (23,048 GRT) 1 merchant ship damaged (7,176 GRT)

German submarine U-238 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine built for service in the Second World War. She was laid down on 21 April 1942, by Germaniawerft of Kiel as yard number 668, launched on 7 January 1943 and commissioned on 20 February, with Oberleutnant zur See Horst Hepp in command. Hepp commanded her for her entire career, receiving promotion to Kapitänleutnant in the process.