German submarine U-988


German submarine U-988 was a [German German Type VIIC submarine|Type VIIC submarine|Type VIIC] U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.
She was laid down on 2 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 188, launched on 3 June 1943 and commissioned on 15 July 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Erich Dobberstein.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-988 had a displacement of when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-988 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history

U-988′s career began on 15 July 1943 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. On 8 September 1943, she collided with U-983 in the Baltic Sea north of Loba. As a result of the collision, U-983 sank with the loss of five of her 43 crew.
U-988 began active service on 1 June 1944 as part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla.

Wolfpacks

U-988 took part in no wolfpacks.

Fate

U-988 was sunk by depth charges from a US Liberator on 22 June 1944. There were no survivors.

Previously recorded fate

U-988 sent her last radio message on 18 June, informing about an air attack, and was lost with all hands thereafter, and her fate is not certain. It is believed that U-988 attacked three ships on 27–29 June and then was sunk on 29/30 June 1944 in the English Channel west of Guernsey at at dawn by the Royal Navy frigates,,, and, after being damaged by Royal Air Force Liberators of No. 244 Squadron.

Alternate fate

There appeared however a theory, that U-988 could have been sunk after an attack of Polish Wellington Mk XIV from 304 Squadron, piloted by Leopold Antoniewicz, which was credited with sinking a submarine on 18 June in the approximate position. Then, the submarine sank on 29/30 June could have been U-1191.