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	Air attack on U-128
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-128
Ordered	7 August 1939
Builder	DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen
Yard number	991
Laid down	10 July 1940
Launched	20 February 1941
Commissioned	12 May 1941 by Ulrich Heyse
Fate	Sunk, 17 May 1943
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC submarine
Displacement	1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced; 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged;
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a; 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a; 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced; 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged;
Range	13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun; 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	2nd U-boat Flotilla; 12 May 1941 – 17 May 1943;
Identification codes:	M 41 096
Commanders:	Kptlt. Ulrich Heyse; 12 May 1941 – 28 February 1943; Oblt.z.S. Hermann Steinert; 1 March – 17 May 1943;
Operations:	6 patrols:; 1st patrol; 11 – 24 December 1941; 2nd patrol; 8 January – 23 March 1942; 3rd patrol; 25 April – 22 July 1942; 4th patrol; 2 – 10 September 1942; 5th patrol; 14 September 1942 – 15 January 1943; 6th patrol; 6 April – 17 May 1943;
Victories:	12 merchant ships sunk ; (83,639 GRT)

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

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-128 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged.^[2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 metric horsepower (740 kW; 990 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 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 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-128 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.^[2]

Service history

Ordered on 7 August 1939 from DeSchiMAG 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 Patrol 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.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[3]	Position	Deaths
19 February 1942	Pan Massachusetts	United States	8,202	Sunk	28°27′N 80°08′W / 28.450°N 80.133°W / 28.450; -80.133	20
22 February 1942	Cities Service Empire	United States	8,103	Sunk	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	Sunk	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	Sunk	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	Sunk	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	Sunk	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	Sunk	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	Sunk	10°55′N 57°40′W / 10.917°N 57.667°W / 10.917; -57.667	10
8 November 1942	Maloja	Norway	6,400	Sunk	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	Sunk	12°27′N 27°45′W / 12.450°N 27.750°W / 12.450; -27.750	20
10 November 1942	Start Point	United Kingdom	5,293	Sunk	13°12′N 27°27′W / 13.200°N 27.450°W / 13.200; -27.450	2
5 December 1942	Teesbank	United Kingdom	5,136	Sunk	03°33′N 29°35′W / 3.550°N 29.583°W / 3.550; -29.583	1

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-128". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, p. 68.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-128". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 30 November 2009.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). 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 (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.

External links

Hofmann, Markus. "U 128". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 7 December 2014.
Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-128". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.