U-638

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered20 Jan 1941
Laid down 16 Oct 1941 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 614)
Launched8 Jul 1942
Commissioned3 Sep 1942Kptlt. Oskar Staudinger
Commanders
3 Sep 1942 - 8 Dec 1942  Oblt. Oskar Staudinger
9 Dec 1942 - 31 Mar 1943  Kptlt. Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck
1 Apr 1943 - 5 May 1943  Kptlt. Oskar Staudinger
Career2 patrols 3 Sep 1942 - 31 Jan 1943  5. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1943 - 5 May 1943  9. Flottille (front boat)
Successes1 ship sunk for a total of 5,507 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total of 6,537 GRT
Fate

Sunk 5 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic north-east of Newfoundland, in position 54.12N, 44.05W, by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Sunflower. 44 dead (all hands lost).

See the 2 ships hit by U-638 - View the 2 war patrols

Previously recorded fate
(Last revised by FDS/NHB during October 1991. More on revised fates.

Sunk 5 May, 1943 in the North Atlantic northeast of Newfoundland, in position 53.06N, 45.02W, by depth charges from the British corvette HMS Loosestrife.

This attack resulted in the loss of U-192.

Wolfpack operations

U-638 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Raubgraf (7 Mar 1943 - 14 Mar 1943)
   Amsel I (4 May 1943 - 5 May 1943)

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-638 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.



U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2
Wynn, Kenneth


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Books dealing with this subject include:

German U-Boat Losses During World War II. Niestle, Axel, 1998.
Hitler's U-boat War. Blair, Clay, 1996.
Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II. Blair, Clay, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.
U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2. Wynn, Kenneth, 1998.