German submarine U-608

German World War II submarine

History
Nazi Germany
Name| U-608
Ordered| 22 May 1940
Builder| Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number| 584
Laid down| 27 March 1941
Launched| 11 December 1941
Commissioned| 5 February 1942
Fate| Scuttled on 10 August 1944
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|

* As U-441 : 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
* As U-flak 1 : 67 officers & ratings

Armament|

* 5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern)
* 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines
* 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds)
* 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun

Service record[1]
Part of:|

* 5th U-boat Flotilla
* 5 February – 31 August 1942
* 6th U-boat Flotilla
* 1 September 1942 – 10 August 1944

Identification codes:|  M 30 340
Commanders:|

* Kptlt. Rolf Struckmeier
* 5 February 1942 – 12 January 1944
* Oblt.z.S. Wolfgang Reisener
* 21 January – 10 August 1944

Operations:|

* 9 patrols:
* 1st patrol:
* 20 August – 24 September 1942
* 2nd patrol:
* 20 October – 9 December 1942
* 3rd patrol:
* 20 January – 29 March 1943
* 4th patrol:
* 8 May – 18 July 1943
* 5th patrol:
* a. 23 – 25 September 1943
* b. 2 October – 28 November 1943
* 6th patrol:
* 29 January – 3 April 1944
* 7th patrol:
* 6 – 14 June 1944
* 8th patrol:
* 22 – 23 July 1944
* 9th patrol:
* 7 – 10 August 1944

Victories:|

* 4 merchant ships sunk
(35,539 GRT)
* 1 warship sunk
(291 tons)

German submarine U-608 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. During the Battle of the Atlantic, she was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Rolf Struckmeier as a unit of Wolfpack Vorwärts.

She was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay on 10 August 1944 after being attacked by a RAF Liberator aircraft with depth charges.

## Design

[edit]

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-608 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] 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 BBC GG UB 720/8 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).[2]

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).[2] 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-608 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

## Fate

[edit]

She was scuttled in the Bay of Biscay on 10 August 1944 after being attacked by a RAF Liberator aircraft with depth charges. The damaged boat surfaced unnoticed and was scuttled by her crew, which was rescued by HMS Wren six hours later suffering no losses.[3]

### Wolfpacks

[edit]

U-608 took part in 19 wolfpacks, namely:

* Stier (29 August – 2 September 1942)
* Vorwärts (2 – 15 September 1942)
* Pfeil (1 – 9 February 1943)
* Neptun (18 February – 3 March 1943)
* Neuland (8 – 13 March 1943)
* Dränger (14 – 20 March 1943)
* Trutz (1 – 16 June 1943)
* Trutz 1 (16 – 29 June 1943)
* Geier 1 (30 June – 15 July 1943)
* Schlieffen (14 – 22 October 1943)
* Siegfried (22 – 27 October 1943)
* Siegfried 1 (27 – 30 October 1943)
* Jahn (31 October – 2 November 1943)
* Tirpitz 2 (2 – 8 November 1943)
* Eisenhart 7 (9 – 11 November 1943)
* Schill 2 (17 – 22 November 1943)
* Igel 2 (9 – 17 February 1944)
* Hai 1 (17 – 22 February 1944)
* Preussen (22 February – 14 March 1944)

## Summary of raiding history

[edit]

Date  | Ship Name  | Nationality  | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[4]

|
|
|
|

12 September 1942  | Hektoria |  United Kingdom | 13,797  | Sunk
12 September 1942  | Empire Moonbeam |  United Kingdom | 6,849  | Sunk
16 November 1942  | Irish Pine |  Ireland | 5,621  | Sunk
8 February 1943  | Daghild |  Norway | 9,272  | Sunk
8 February 1943  | HMS LCT-2335[Note 2] |  Royal Navy | 291  | Sunk

## References

[edit]

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
2. ^ Being carried by Daghild.

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-608". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
2. ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
3. ^ Busch & Röll 1999b, p. 273-4.
4. ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-608". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 August 2014.

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Bishop, Chris (2006). Kriegsmarine U-boats 1939-45. London: Amber Books. ISBN 1904687962.
* Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999a). 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 (1999b). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
* Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell Military Classics. pp. 105, 107, 108, 148. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
* Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2\. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

## External links

[edit]

* Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-608". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
* U-608 at wrecksite.eu

* v
* t
* e

Type VII submarines

Type VIIA|

* U-27
* U-28
* U-29
* U-30
* U-31
* U-32
* U-33
* U-34
* U-35
* U-36

Type VIIB|

* U-45
* U-46
* U-47
* U-48
* U-49
* U-50
* U-51
* U-52
* U-53
* U-54
* U-55
* U-73
* U-74
* U-75
* U-76
* U-83
* U-84
* U-85
* U-86
* U-87
* U-99
* U-100
* U-101
* U-102

Type VIIC|

* U-69
* U-70
* U-71
* U-72
* U-77
* U-78
* U-79
* U-80
* U-81
* U-82
* U-88
* U-89
* U-90
* U-91
* U-92
* U-93
* U-94
* U-95
* U-96
* U-97
* U-98
* U-132
* U-133
* U-134
* U-135
* U-136
* U-201
* U-202
* U-203
* U-204
* U-205
* U-206
* U-207
* U-208
* U-209
* U-210
* U-211
* U-212
* U-221
* U-222
* U-223
* U-224
* U-225
* U-226
* U-227
* U-228
* U-229
* U-230
* U-231
* U-232
* U-235
* U-236
* U-237
* U-238
* U-239
* U-240
* U-241
* U-242
* U-243
* U-244
* U-245
* U-246
* U-247
* U-248
* U-249
* U-250
* U-251
* U-252
* U-253
* U-254
* U-255
* U-256
* U-257
* U-258
* U-259
* U-260
* U-261
* U-262
* U-263
* U-264
* U-265
* U-266
* U-267
* U-268
* U-269
* U-270
* U-271
* U-272
* U-273
* U-274
* U-275
* U-276
* U-277
* U-278
* U-279
* U-280
* U-281
* U-282
* U-283
* U-284
* U-285
* U-286
* U-287
* U-288
* U-289
* U-290
* U-291
* U-301
* U-302
* U-303
* U-304
* U-305
* U-306
* U-307
* U-308
* U-309
* U-310
* U-311
* U-312
* U-313
* U-314
* U-315
* U-316
* U-331
* U-332
* U-333
* U-334
* U-335
* U-336
* U-337
* U-338
* U-339
* U-340
* U-341
* U-342
* U-343
* U-344
* U-345
* U-346
* U-347
* U-348
* U-349
* U-350
* U-351
* U-352
* U-353
* U-354
* U-355
* U-356
* U-357
* U-358
* U-359
* U-360
* U-361
* U-362
* U-363
* U-364
* U-365
* U-366
* U-367
* U-368
* U-369
* U-370
* U-371
* U-372
* U-373
* U-374
* U-375
* U-376
* U-377
* U-378
* U-379
* U-380
* U-381
* U-382
* U-383
* U-384
* U-385
* U-386
* U-387
* U-388
* U-389
* U-390
* U-391
* U-392
* U-393
* U-394
* U-396
* U-397
* U-398
* U-399
* U-400
* U-401
* U-402
* U-403
* U-404
* U-405
* U-406
* U-407
* U-408
* U-409
* U-410
* U-411
* U-412
* U-413
* U-414
* U-415
* U-416
* U-417
* U-418
* U-419
* U-420
* U-421
* U-422
* U-423
* U-424
* U-425
* U-426
* U-427
* U-428
* U-429
* U-430
* U-431
* U-432
* U-433
* U-434
* U-435
* U-436
* U-437
* U-438
* U-439
* U-440
* U-441
* U-442
* U-443
* U-444
* U-445
* U-446
* U-447
* U-448
* U-449
* U-450
* U-451
* U-452
* U-453
* U-454
* U-455
* U-456
* U-457
* U-458
* U-465
* U-466
* U-467
* U-468
* U-469
* U-470
* U-471
* U-472
* U-473
* U-475
* U-476
* U-477
* U-478
* U-479
* U-480
* U-481
* U-482
* U-483
* U-484
* U-485
* U-486
* U-551
* U-552
* U-553
* U-554
* U-555
* U-556
* U-557
* U-558
* U-559
* U-560
* U-561
* U-562
* U-563
* U-564
* U-565
* U-566
* U-567
* U-568
* U-569
* U-570
* U-571
* U-572
* U-573
* U-574
* U-575
* U-576
* U-577
* U-578
* U-579
* U-580
* U-581
* U-582
* U-583
* U-584
* U-585
* U-586
* U-587
* U-588
* U-589
* U-590
* U-591
* U-592
* U-593
* U-594
* U-595
* U-596
* U-597
* U-598
* U-599
* U-600
* U-601
* U-602
* U-603
* U-604
* U-605
* U-606
* U-607
* U-608
* U-609
* U-610
* U-611
* U-612
* U-613
* U-614
* U-615
* U-616
* U-617
* U-618
* U-619
* U-620
* U-621
* U-622
* U-623
* U-624
* U-625
* U-626
* U-627
* U-628
* U-629
* U-630
* U-631
* U-632
* U-633
* U-634
* U-635
* U-636
* U-637
* U-638
* U-639
* U-640
* U-641
* U-642
* U-643
* U-644
* U-645
* U-646
* U-647
* U-648
* U-649
* U-650
* U-651
* U-652
* U-653
* U-654
* U-655
* U-656
* U-657
* U-658
* U-659
* U-660
* U-661
* U-662
* U-663
* U-664
* U-665
* U-666
* U-667
* U-668
* U-669
* U-670
* U-671
* U-672
* U-673
* U-674
* U-675
* U-676
* U-677
* U-678
* U-679
* U-680
* U-681
* U-682
* U-683
* U-701
* U-702
* U-703
* U-704
* U-705
* U-706
* U-707
* U-708
* U-709
* U-710
* U-711
* U-712
* U-713
* U-714
* U-715
* U-716
* U-717
* U-718
* U-719
* U-720
* U-721
* U-722
* U-731
* U-732
* U-733
* U-734
* U-735
* U-736
* U-737
* U-738
* U-739
* U-740
* U-741
* U-742
* U-743
* U-744
* U-745
* U-746
* U-747
* U-748
* U-749
* U-750
* U-751
* U-752
* U-753
* U-754
* U-755
* U-756
* U-757
* U-758
* U-759
* U-760
* U-761
* U-762
* U-763
* U-764
* U-765
* U-766
* U-767
* U-768
* U-771
* U-772
* U-773
* U-774
* U-775
* U-776
* U-777
* U-778
* U-779
* U-821
* U-822
* U-825
* U-826
* U-901
* U-903
* U-904
* U-905
* U-907
* U-921
* U-922
* U-923
* U-924
* U-925
* U-926
* U-927
* U-928
* U-951
* U-952
* U-953
* U-954
* U-955
* U-956
* U-957
* U-958
* U-959
* U-960
* U-961
* U-962
* U-963
* U-964
* U-965
* U-966
* U-967
* U-968
* U-969
* U-970
* U-971
* U-972
* U-973
* U-974
* U-975
* U-976
* U-977
* U-978
* U-979
* U-980
* U-981
* U-982
* U-983
* U-984
* U-985
* U-986
* U-987
* U-988
* U-989
* U-990
* U-991
* U-992
* U-993
* U-994
* U-1051
* U-1052
* U-1053
* U-1054
* U-1055
* U-1056
* U-1057
* U-1058
* U-1101
* U-1102
* U-1131
* U-1132
* U-1161
* U-1162
* U-1191
* U-1192
* U-1193
* U-1194
* U-1195
* U-1196
* U-1197
* U-1198
* U-1199
* U-1200
* U-1201
* U-1202
* U-1203
* U-1204
* U-1205
* U-1206
* U-1207
* U-1208
* U-1209
* U-1210

Type VIIC/41|

* U-292
* U-293
* U-294
* U-295
* U-296
* U-297
* U-298
* U-299
* U-300
* U-317
* U-318
* U-319
* U-320
* U-321
* U-322
* U-323
* U-324
* U-325
* U-326
* U-327
* U-328
* U-691
* U-827
* U-828
* U-929
* U-930
* U-995
* U-997
* U-998
* U-999
* U-1000
* U-1001
* U-1002
* U-1003
* U-1004
* U-1005
* U-1006
* U-1007
* U-1008
* U-1009
* U-1010
* U-1011
* U-1013
* U-1014
* U-1015
* U-1016
* U-1017
* U-1018
* U-1019
* U-1020
* U-1021
* U-1022
* U-1023
* U-1024
* U-1025
* U-1063
* U-1064
* U-1065
* U-1103
* U-1104
* U-1105
* U-1106
* U-1107
* U-1108
* U-1109
* U-1110
* U-1163
* U-1164
* U-1165
* U-1166
* U-1167
* U-1168
* U-1169
* U-1170
* U-1171
* U-1172
* U-1271
* U-1272
* U-1273
* U-1274
* U-1275
* U-1276
* U-1277
* U-1278
* U-1279
* U-1301
* U-1302
* U-1303
* U-1304
* U-1305
* U-1306
* U-1307
* U-1308

Type VIID|

* U-213
* U-214
* U-215
* U-216
* U-217
* U-218

Type VIIF|

* U-1059
* U-1060
* U-1061
* U-1062

* Preceded by: Type II
* Followed by: Type IX

* List of U-boats of Germany

* v
* t
* e

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in August 1944

Shipwrecks|

* 2 Aug: USS Fiske
* 3 Aug: HMS Quorn
* 4 Aug: Tannenfels, Matsu
* 5 Aug: Mefküre, U-671
* 6 Aug: Empire City, Sachsenwald, Thétis, U-471, U-736, U-952, U-969, V 215 Oliva
* 7 Aug: Amsterdam, Empire Day, Nagara
* 8 Aug: Conte Verde, HMCS Regina, Tama Maru No. 6, V 104 Falke
* 9 Aug: Spichern
* 10 Aug: U-608
* 11 Aug: V 623 Jupiter, U-385, U-967
* 12 Aug: T-114, T-118, U-198, U-981, V 410 Germania
* 13 Aug: USS Flier, U-270, V 1101 Preußen
* 14 Aug: V 605 Arthur Duncker, Gueydon, U-618
* 15 Aug: U-741
* 16 Aug: Trémintin
* 17 Aug: TA35
* 18 Aug: La Galissonnière, Natori, Strasbourg, Taiyō, Teia Maru, U-107, U-129, U-621
* 19 Aug: Commandant Teste, Hayasui, Tamatsu Maru, U-123, U-466, V-6112 Friese
* 20 Aug: Richard Montgomery, U-9, U-413, U-984, U-1229. V 409 August Bösch
* 21 Aug: HMCS Alberni, HMS Kite, HMS Orchis, U-230, V 402 Dr. Adolf Spilker, Z23
* 22 Aug: HMS Bickerton, HMS Loyalty, Matsuwa, Tsushima Maru, U-344, V 401 Jan Mayen, V 405 J. Hinrich Wilhelms, V 413 Ferdinand Niedermeyer
* 23 Aug: Asakaze, U-180
* 24 Aug: USS Harder, NMS Mihail Kogălniceanu, U-354, U-445, Z37
* 25 Aug: Sperrbrecher 136, U-18, U-24, U-178, U-667, UIT-21, Yūnagi, Z24
* 26 Aug: Samidare, U-188, V 404 Baden, V 411 Saarland
* 27 Aug: HMS Britomart, Clemenceau, HMS Hussar
* 28 Aug: John Barry, V 407 Dorum
* 30 Aug: De Grasse, M553
* 31 Aug: Shirataka
* Unknown date: Condorcet, Kulmerland, Marechal Petain, U-925

Other incidents|

* 4 Aug: Maycrest
* 15 Aug: LST-404
* 16 Aug: USS S-38
* 18 Aug: U-1054
* 20 Aug: Daronia
* 22 Aug: HMS Nabob
* 27 Aug: USS Pollack
* 31 Aug: U-1000

1943 1944 1945
July 1944 September 1944

46°30′N 03°08′W﻿ / ﻿46.500°N 3.133°W﻿ / 46.500; -3.133
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