German submarine U-608

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-608
Ordered: 22 May 1940
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Laid down: 27 March 1941
Launched: 11 December 1941
Commissioned: 5 February 1942
Fate: Scuttled, 10 August 1944
General characteristics
Class and type: Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:
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:
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:
  • As U-441 : 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
  • As U-flak 1 : 67 officers & ratings
Armament:
Service record[1]
Part of:
  • 5th U-boat Flotilla
  • 5 February – 31 August 1942 - Training
  • 6t U-boat Flotilla
  • 1 September 1942 – 10 August 1944
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Rolf Struckmeier
  • 5 February 1942 – 12 January 1944
  • Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Reisener
  • 21 January – 10 August 1944
Operations:
  • 1st patrol: 20 August – 24 September 1942
  • 2nd patrol: 20 October – 9 December 1942
  • 3rd patrol: 20 January – 29 March 1943
  • 4th patrol: 8 May – 18 July 1943
  • 5th patrol: 23–25 September 1943
  • 6th patrol: 29 January – 3 April 1944
  • 7th patrol: 6–14 June 1944
  • 8th patrol: 22–23 July 1944
  • 9th patrol: 7–10 August 1944
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk (35,539 GRT)
  • 1 warship sunk (291 tons)

German submarine U-608 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. During the Battle of the Atlantic, she was commanded by Rolf Struckmeier as a unit of Wolfpack Vorwärts (2–15 September 1942).

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-608 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-608 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Fate

She was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay on 10 August 1944 after being attacked by a RAF Liberator aircraft with depth charges. The damaged boat surfaced unnoticed and was scuttled by her crew, which was rescued by HMS Wren six hours later suffering no losses.[3]

Wolfpacks

U-608 took part in 19 wolfpacks, namely.

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]|- 12 September 1942 Hektoria  United Kingdom 13,797 Sunk
12 September 1942 Empire Moonbeam  United Kingdom 6,849 Sunk
16 November 1942 Irish Pine  Ireland 5,621 Sunk
8 February 1943 Daghild  Norway 9,272 Sunk
8 February 1943 HMS LCT-2335  Royal Navy 291 Sunk (while being transported)

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-608". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. Busch & Röll, p. 273-4.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-608". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 26 April 2014.

Bibliography

  • Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-boats 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 1904687962. 
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6. 
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. 
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. pp. 105, 107, 108, 148. ISBN 0-304-35203-9. 
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. 

External links

Coordinates: 46°30′N 03°08′W / 46.500°N 3.133°W / 46.500; -3.133

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