German submarine U-388

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-388
Ordered	21 November 1940
Builder	Howaldtswerke, Kiel
Yard number	19
Laid down	12 September 1941
Launched	12 November 1942
Commissioned	31 December 1942
Fate	Sunk on 20 June 1943
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; 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; 31 December 1942 – 1 June 1943; 9th U-boat Flotilla; 1 – 20 June 1943;
Identification codes:	M 49 299
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Peter Sues; 31 December 1942 – 20 June 1943;
Operations:	1 patrol:; 8 – 20 June 1943;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-388 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

The submarine was laid down on 12 September 1941 at the Howaldtswerke yard in Kiel, launched on 12 November 1942 and commissioned on 31 December 1942 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Peter Sues.^[2]

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-388 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[4] 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 Garbe, Lahmeyer & Co. RP 137/c 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).^[4]

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).^[4] 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-388 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 two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[4]

Service history

U-388 conducted her training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla, before being attached to the 9th U-boat Flotilla for front-line service on 1 June 1943.^[2]

U-388 sailed from Kiel on 8 June 1943 on her first patrol in the Atlantic. On 20 June, she was sunk south-east of Cape Farewell, Greenland, in position 57°36′N 31°20′W / 57.600°N 31.333°W / 57.600; -31.333, by depth charges from a PBY Catalina aircraft of United States Navy Patrol Squadron VP-84, and was lost with all 47 men on board.^[2]

References

^ Kemp 1999, p. 126.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-388". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "War Patrols by German U-boat U-388". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.

Bibliography

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). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Kemp, Paul (1999). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. London: Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.