U-38 and its crew |
| History |
|---|
| Nazi Germany |
|---|
| Name | U-38 |
| Ordered | 29 July 1936 |
| Builder | DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen |
| Yard number | 943 |
| Laid down | 15 April 1937 |
| Launched | 9 August 1938 |
| Commissioned | 24 October 1938 |
| Fate | Scuttled 5 May 1945 west of Wesermünde and broken up in 1948. |
| General characteristics |
|---|
| Class & type | Type 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
|
| Height | 9.40 m (30 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 4.70 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 depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 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
- 15 April 1944 – 5 May 1945
|
| Operations: |
- 11 patrols:
- 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)
|
German submarine U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that operated during World War II.
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.
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. She was scuttled west of Wesermünde (Modern Bremerhaven) on 5 May 1945. Throughout the war, the U-Boat suffered no losses among her crew.
