German submarine U-38 (1938)

U-38 was a Type IXA U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was laid down on 15 March 1937 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser shipyard in Bremen as yard number 932, launched on 16 November 1938, and commissioned on 18 February 1939 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Liebe.

Operational History:

U-38 conducted eleven war patrols during her active service. She primarily operated in the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay, targeting Allied shipping. Her initial patrols were focused on the waters around the British Isles. During her career, U-38 was credited with sinking 36 ships for a total of 215,434 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging three more vessels totaling 18,031 GRT. She also sunk one auxiliary warship of 8,130 GRT.

Significant Events:

• Early War Successes: U-38 achieved notable success early in the war, contributing to the U-boat's reputation as a formidable weapon.
• Command Changes: Throughout her service, U-38 had multiple commanders, including Heinrich Liebe until July 1941, followed by Heinrich Schuch, and eventually Kurt Schönenberg.
• Later Years: As the war progressed, U-38's effectiveness decreased due to improved Allied anti-submarine warfare tactics and technology.

Fate:

U-38 was decommissioned on 5 August 1944 and used as a training boat for new U-boat crews. She was scuttled on 5 May 1945 in the Raunefjord near Bergen, Norway to prevent her capture by Allied forces. The wreck remains there today.

Type IXA U-boat Characteristics:

Type IXA U-boats were long-range submarines designed for operations in the Atlantic. They had a displacement of 1,032 tons when surfaced and 1,152 tons when submerged. They were powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines for surface running, and two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors for submerged propulsion. They had a range of approximately 10,500 nautical miles at 10 knots when surfaced and 78 nautical miles at 4 knots when submerged. They were armed with six torpedo tubes (four at the bow and two at the stern), one 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 naval gun, and a 2 cm anti-aircraft gun.