Unterseeboot 68 (1941)
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U-68 | |
---|---|
Country | Nazi Germany |
Branch | Kriegsmarine |
Type | IXC |
Fieldpost number | M 29 442 |
Shipyard | AG Weser, Bremen |
Yard number | 987 |
Ordered | August 7, 1939 |
Laid down | April 20, 1940 |
Launched | October 22, 1940 |
Commissioned | February 1, 1941 |
Career | |
Patrols | 10 |
Flotillas | 2. Unterseebootsflottille |
Commanders | Karl-Friedrich Merten Albert Lauzemis Ekkehard Scherraus Gerhard Seehausen |
Successes | |
32 ships sunk for a total of 197.453 GRT 1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 545 GRT |
|
Fate | |
Sunk April 10, 1944 north-west of Madeira, Portugal. 56 dead and 1 survivor |
Unterseeboot 68 (usually abbreviated to U-68) was a German Type IXC U-boat built during World War II. U-68 was one of the most successful boats, succeeding in sinking over 197,000 tons of allied shipping in 10 patrols, a career lasting more than three years.
U-68 was built at the AG Weser in Bremen during 1940, and was ready for service in 1941. After her warm up, designed to give her an opportunity to train and repair minor faults, she was deployed into the Atlantic Ocean in February, 1941 and saw overwhelming success sinking 33 ships, including 1 auxiliary warship.
[edit] Fate
On the April 10, 1944 she was sunk north-west of Madeira, Portugal by depth charges and rockets from Avenger and Wildcat aircraft of the US escort carrier USS Guadalcanal. U-68 was lost at position with 56 dead and 1 survivor.
[edit] References
- uboat.net webpage for U-68
- ubootwaffe.net webpage for U-68
- uboataces.com webpage with insignia for U-68
See Also: List of U-boats