German submarine U-188

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-188
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	DeSchiMAG, Bremen
Yard number	1028
Laid down	18 August 1941
Launched	31 March 1942
Commissioned	5 August 1942
Fate	Scuttled 25 August 1944 in Bordeaux, later raised and broken up in 1947
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced; 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged;
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a; 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a; 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 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	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
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 depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun; 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla; 5 August 1942 – 31 January 1943; 10th U-boat Flotilla; 1 February 1943 – 20 August 1944;
Identification codes:	M 10 459
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Siegfried Lüdden; 5 August 1942 – 9 August 1944;
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.

History

Nazi Germany
Name	U-188
Ordered	15 August 1940
Builder	DeSchiMAG, Bremen
Yard number	1028
Laid down	18 August 1941
Launched	31 March 1942
Commissioned	5 August 1942
Fate	Scuttled 25 August 1944 in Bordeaux, later raised and broken up in 1947
General characteristics
Class & type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 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	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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 depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla 5 August 1942 – 31 January 1943 10th U-boat Flotilla 1 February 1943 – 20 August 1944
Identification codes:	M 10 459
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / Kptlt. Siegfried Lüdden 5 August 1942 – 9 August 1944
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)