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Kriegsmarine and U-Boat history

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Erich Topp's Red Devil
© S. Burbridge
Image courtesy of SubArt.net
U-Boat Operations
Major contributors to this section:
Commanders, Flotillas & Yards —  Fernando Almeida
Ships, General —  Werner Freitag
Ship Details —  David Rayner & Walter Janssens
Detail Consultant —  Horst Schmeisser
Patrols, Fates and Air Attacks —  Howard Cock

U-638Type VIIC
Feldpost NumberM 51 249
Construction YardBlohm und Voß, Hamburg
Yard Number614
Ordered20th Jan 1941
Keel laid16th Oct 1941
Launched8th Jul 1942
Commissioned3rd Sep 1942
Baubelehrung8.KLA, Hamburg
Training, Flotillas and Duties
09.42 - 01.435.U-Flottille, Kiel
Ausbildungsboot (under training)
03.43 - 05.439.U-Flottille, Brest
Frontboot (operational)
Commanders
09.42 - 12.42OL Oskar Staudinger
12.42 - 03.43KL Hinrich Oskar Bernbeck
see also: U-4 U-461 UD-4 
03.43 - 05.43OL Oskar Staudinger

Operations information for U-638
04.02.1943 - 31.03.1943
First Sailing - active patrol
U-638 left Kiel under the command of Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck on 4th Feb 1943 and arrived at La Pallice on 31st Mar 1943 after nearly eight weeks.
Hinrich-Oscar Bernbeck hit one ship on this patrol from convoy ON-168.
  • On 7th Mar 1943 he damaged the British 6,537 ton Empire Light, sailing with convoy ON-168.
20.04.1943 - 05.05.1943
Second Sailing - active patrol
On the 20th Apr 1943, U-638 left La Pallice under the command of Oskar Staudinger. The boat was lost on 5th May 1943.
Oskar Staudinger hit one ship on this patrol from convoy ONS-5.
  • On 5th May 1943 he sank the British 5,507 ton Dolius, a member of convoy ONS-5.

Notes for U-638


We have 45 crew names for this boat. click here for crew names of U 638
You can perform other crew searches here. Note that the number of names we give possibly includes prior crew members.

You can discuss this boat or ask questions at the ubootwaffe.net forums

We have extra information on
1 relevant ship here:

DOLIUS

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