German submarine U-38 (1938)

For other ships with the same name, see German submarine U-38.

U-38 and its crew
History
Nazi Germany
NameU-38
Ordered29 July 1936
BuilderDeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number943
Laid down15 April 1937
Launched9 August 1938
Commissioned24 October 1938
FateScuttled 5 May 1945 west of Wesermünde and broken up in 1948.
General characteristics
Class and typeType IXA submarine
Displacement
  • 1,032 t (1,016 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.51 m (21 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.40 m (30 ft 10 in)
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
  • 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) submerged
Range
  • 10,500 nmi (19,400 km; 12,100 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 65–78 nmi (120–144 km; 75–90 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth230 m (750 ft)
Complement4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament
Service record
Part of:
Identification codes: M 20 675
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Heinrich Liebe
  • 24 October 1938 – 22 July 1941
  • K.Kapt. Heinrich Schuch
  • 15 July 1941 – 6 January 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Ludo Kregelin
  • 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Helmut Laubert
  • 5 January – 22 August 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Paul Sander
  • 23 August – 14 December 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Goske von Möllendorff
  • 16 December – December 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Herbert Kühn
  • January – 14 April 1944
  • K.Kapt. Georg Peters[1]
  • 15 April 1944 – 5 May 1945
Operations:
  • 11 patrols:[1]
  • 1st patrol:
  • 19 August – 18 September 1939
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 14 November – 16 December 1939
  • 3rd patrol:
  • 26 February – 5 April 1940
  • 4th patrol:
  • 8 – 27 April 1940
  • 5th patrol:
  • 6 June – 2 July 1940
  • 6th patrol:
  • 1 August – 3 September 1940
  • 7th patrol:
  • 25 September – 24 October 1940
  • 8th patrol:
  • 18 December 1940 – 22 January 1941
  • 9th patrol:
  • 9 April – 29 June 1941
  • 10th patrol:
  • 6 August – 14 September 1941
  • 11th patrol:
  • a. 15 October – 21 November 1941
  • b. 23 – 29 November 1941
Victories:
  • 35 merchant ships sunk
    (188,967 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (3,670 GRT)[2]

German submarine U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.[1]

Her keel was laid down on 15 April 1937, by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen as yard number 943. She was launched on 9 August 1938 and commissioned on 24 October with Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe in command.[1]

U-38 conducted eleven patrols, as part of several flotillas. During her career, she sank more than 30 enemy vessels and damaged a further one. U-38 ranks as one of the most successful U-boats in World War II.[3] She was scuttled west of Wesermünde (Modern Bremerhaven) on 5 May 1945. Throughout the war, the U-Boat suffered no losses among her crew.[1]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Helgason, Guðmundur. "U-38". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Hit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Most Successful U-boats". German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net. Retrieved 29 March 2010.