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German submarine U-128 (1941)
U-128 17-5-43
Air attack on U-128
Career (Germany) War Ensign of Germany 1938-1945
Name: U-128
Ordered: 7 August 1939
Builder: AG Weser in Bremen
Laid down: 10 July 1940
Launched: 20 February 1941
Commissioned: 12 May 1941 by Ulrich Heyse
Fate: Sunk, 17 May 1943
General characteristics
Type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement: 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length: 76.8 m (252 ft 0 in) overall
58.7 m (192 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Beam: 6.8 m (22 ft 4 in) overall
4.4 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.4 m (30 ft 10 in)
Draft: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion: 2 × MAN M9V40/46 supercharged 9-cylinder diesel engines, 4,000 hp (2,983 kW)
2 × SSW GU345/34 double-acting electric motors, 1,000 hp (746 kW)
Speed: 18.2 knots (33.7 km/h) surfaced
7.3 knots (13.5 km/h) submerged
Range: 24,880 nmi (46,080 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h) surfaced
117 nmi (217 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 48 to 56
Armament: 6 × torpedo tubes (four bow, two stern)
22 × 55 cm (22 in) torpedoes
1 × 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun[1] (110 rounds)

German submarine U-128 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II. She was sunk 17 May 1943, by American action.

History[]

Ordered on 7 August 1939 from AG Weser in Bremen, U-128 was laid down on 10 July 1940, launched on 20 February 1941 and commissioned by Kapitänleutnant Ulrich Heyse on 12 May 1941.

The boat was a training vessel in the second flotilla until 30 November 1941 based in Wilhelmshaven. She was then based in Lorient.

During her six completed war patrols, U-128 sank 12 ships, for a total of 83,639 tons. On 1 March 1943 command was transferred to Kptlt. Hermann Steinert, who commanded her until her loss a few months later.

Fate[]

On 17 May 1943, while operating in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco, two Mariner flying boats, PBM 74-P5 and PBM-74-P6 of the US Navy Squadron VP-74, made U-128 surface with depth charges. Two US Navy destroyers (USS Jouett and Moffett) also hit her with 5-inch gunfire. The crew opened the submarine's seacocks as they abandoned ship, scuttling the submarine. The final toll was seven dead but there were 47 survivors.

Raiding career[]

Date Ship Name Flag Tonnage (GRT) Position Deaths
19 February 1942 Pan Massachusetts United States 8,202 28°27′N 80°08′W / 28.45°N 80.133°W / 28.45; -80.133 20
22 February 1942 Cities Service Empire United States 8,103 28°25′N 80°02′W / 28.417°N 80.033°W / 28.417; -80.033 14
5 March 1942 O.A. Knudsen Norway 11,007 26°17′N 75°50′W / 26.283°N 75.833°W / 26.283; -75.833 2
13 May 1942 Denpark United Kingdom 3,491 22°28′N 28°10′W / 22.467°N 28.167°W / 22.467; -28.167 21
8 June 1942 South Africa Norway 9,234 12°47′N 49°44′W / 12.783°N 49.733°W / 12.783; -49.733 6
21 June 1942 West Ira United States 5,681 12°28′N 57°05′W / 12.467°N 57.083°W / 12.467; -57.083 1
23 June 1942 Andrea Brøvig Norway 10,173 12°10′N 59°10′W / 12.167°N 59.167°W / 12.167; -59.167 0
27 June 1942 Polybius United States 7,041 10°55′N 57°40′W / 10.917°N 57.667°W / 10.917; -57.667 10
8 November 1942 Maloja Norway 6,400 11°58′N 27°08′W / 11.967°N 27.133°W / 11.967; -27.133 2
10 November 1942 Cerinthus United Kingdom 3,878 12°27′N 27°45′W / 12.45°N 27.75°W / 12.45; -27.75 20
10 November 1942 Start Point United Kingdom 5,293 13°12′N 27°27′W / 13.2°N 27.45°W / 13.2; -27.45 2
5 December 1942 Teesbank United Kingdom 5,136 03°33′N 29°35′W / 3.55°N 29.583°W / 3.55; -29.583 1

References[]

Notes[]

  1. Campbell, John Naval Weapons of World War Two ISBN 0-87021-459-4 pp.248&249

External links[]

See also[]


Coordinates: 10°00′00″N 35°34′59″W / 10.000°N 35.583°W / 10.000; -35.583

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