German submarine U-68 (1940)

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-68
Ordered:	7 August 1939
Builder:	DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number:	987
Laid down:	20 April 1940
Launched:	22 October 1940
Commissioned:	1 February 1941
Fate:	Sunk 10 April 1944 north-west of Madeira, Portugal. 56 dead and 1 survivor
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
Range:	24,880 nmi (46,080 km; 28,630 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 117 nmi (217 km; 135 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted48 to 56
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	Kriegsmarine: 2nd U-boat Flotilla
Commanders:	K.Kapt. Karl-Freidrich Merten 11 February 1941 – 21 January 1943 Oblt.z.S. Albert Lauzemis 21 January – 16 June 1943 Oblt.z.S. Ekkehard Scherraus 14 June – July 1943 Oblt.z.S. Gerhard Seehausen July – 29 July 1943 Oblt.z.S. Albert Lauzemis 30 July 1943 – 10 April 1944
Operations:	Ten: 1st patrol: 30 June – 1 August 1941 2nd patrol: 11 September – 25 December 1941 3rd patrol: 11 February – 13 April 1942 4th patrol: 14 May – 10 July 1942 5th patrol: 20 August – 6 December 1942 6th patrol: 3 February – 7 May 1943 7th patrol: 12–16 June 1943 8th patrol: 14–15 August 1943 9th patrol: 8 September – 23 December 1943 10th patrol: 22 March – 10 April 1944
Victories:	32 ships sunk (197,453 GRT) one auxiliary warship sunk (545 GRT)

German submarine U-68 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 20 April 1940 at the DeSchiMAG AG Weser yard at Bremen as yard number 987, launched on 22 October and commissioned on 1 January 1941 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten as part of 2nd U-boat Flotilla.

U-68 conducted ten combat patrols, sinking 32 merchant ships, for a total of 197,453 gross register tons (GRT); she also sank one auxiliary warship of 545 GRT. She was a member of one wolfpack.

On 10 April 1944, during her tenth patrol, she was sunk northwest of Madeira by US aircraft from the escort carrier Guadalcanal.

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-68 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. 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).