German submarine U-3008

The German submarine U-3008 was a Type XXI U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine that served in the United States Navy for several years after World War II.

USS U-3008 off the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, 30 August 1946
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-3008
Ordered: 6 November 1943
Builder: DeSchiMAG AG Weser, Bremen
Yard number: 1167
Laid down: 2 July 1944
Launched: 14 September 1944
Commissioned: 19 October 1944
Homeport: Wilhelmshaven
Fate: Surrendered, May 1945
United States
Name: U-3008
Acquired: 22 August 1945
In service: 24 July 1946
Out of service: 18 June 1948
Fate:
  • Scuttled, May 1954
  • Raised and hulk sold for scrap, 1955
General characteristics
Class and type: Type XXI submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,621 t (1,595 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,819 t (1,790 long tons) submerged
Length: 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) o/a
Beam: 8.00 m (26 ft 3 in)
Height: 11.30 m (37 ft 1 in)
Draught: 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:
  • Diesel-electric
  • Diesel engines, 4,400 PS (3,236 kW; 4,340 shp)
  • Electric motors, 4,200 PS (3,089 kW; 4,143 shp)
Speed: 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph)
Range:
  • 15,000 nmi (28,000 km; 17,000 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 340 nmi (630 km; 390 mi) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) submerged
Test depth: 240–280 m (790–920 ft)
Complement: 5 officers, 52 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Type F432 D2 Radar Transmitter
  • FuMB Ant 3 Bali Radar Detector
Armament:
  • 6 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes
  • 4 × 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 guns

Her keel was laid down on 2 July 1944 by DeSchiMAG AG Weser of Bremen, and she was commissioned on 19 October 1944 with Kapitänleutnant Fokko Schlömer in command. In March 1945 Schlömer was relieved by Kapitänleutnant Helmut Manseck who commanded the boat until Nazi Germany's surrender on 8 May.

Design

Like all Type XXI U-boats, U-3008 had a displacement of 1,621 tonnes (1,595 long tons) when at the surface and 1,819 tonnes (1,790 long tons) while submerged. She had a total length of 76.70 m (251 ft 8 in) (o/a), a beam length of 8 m (26 ft 3 in), and a draught length of 6.32 m (20 ft 9 in).[1] The submarine was powered by two MAN SE supercharged six-cylinder M6V40/46KBB diesel engines each providing 4,000 metric horsepower (2,900 kilowatts; 3,900 shaft horsepower), two Siemens-Schuckert GU365/30 double-acting electric motors each providing 5,000 PS (3,700 kW; 4,900 shp), and two Siemens-Schuckert silent running GV232/28 electric motors each providing 226 PS (166 kW; 223 shp).[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) and a submerged speed of 17.2 knots (31.9 km/h; 19.8 mph). When running on silent motors the boat could operate at a speed of 6.1 knots (11.3 km/h; 7.0 mph). When submerged, the boat could operate at 5 knots (9.3 km/h; 5.8 mph) for 340 nautical miles (630 km; 390 mi); when surfaced, she could travel 15,500 nautical miles (28,700 km; 17,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).[1] U-3008 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21.0 in) torpedo tubes in the bow and four 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. She could carry twenty-three torpedoes or seventeen torpedoes and twelve mines. The complement was five officers and fifty-two men.[1]

Service history

Kriegsmarine

U-3008 left Wilhelmshaven for patrol on 3 May 1945, but returned to port after the surrender. On 21 June 1945 she was taken by the Allies from Wilhelmshaven to Loch Ryan, thence transferred to the United States, reaching New London, Connecticut, on 22 August. Unterseeboot 3008 was then formally renamed USS U-3008.

United States Navy

On 13 September, she moved to the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, where she began an extensive overhaul the following day. Work proceeded on an intermittent basis due to the lack of final and total approval of the vessel's allocation to the United States by the Allied powers concerned. However, by the spring of 1946, the naval shipyard received orders to proceed with the overhaul as expeditiously as possible and to place the submarine in service immediately upon its completion. U-3008's overhaul was completed by mid-summer, and she was commissioned into U.S. Navy service as USS U-3008 on 24 July 1946 with Commander Everett H. Steinmetz in charge.[2]

U-3008 was assigned initially to Submarine Squadron 2 and operated along the New England coast out of New London and Portsmouth. That duty continued until 31 March 1947, when she departed New London bound ultimately for Key West, Florida, and duty with the Operational Development Force. En route, the U-boat stopped off at Norfolk, Virginia, for three weeks of underway operations with Task Force 67. She continued south on 19 April and arrived at Key West on 23 April. There, she reported for duty with Submarine Squadron 4 and began working with the Operational Development Force. That duty involved the development of submarine and antisubmarine tactics and lasted until October 1947 when she returned to New London.[2]

The U-boat conducted operations out of New London and Portsmouth between October 1947 and February 1948. On 28 February, she stood out of New London to return to Florida. She reached Key West on 5 March and resumed duty with the Operational Development Force. She remained so engaged until the end of the first week in June. On 7 June, she headed north once more and arrived in Portsmouth on 11 June. On 18 June 1948 U-3008 was decommissioned and placed out of service at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in New Hampshire.

Though out of service, U-3008 remained a Navy test hulk for several years. She was scuttled in a series of demolition tests in 1954. The hulk was raised and towed to the Navy drydock at Roosevelt Roads where she was offered up for sale in 1955. She was sold to Loudes Iron & Metal Company on 15 September 1955, and the purchaser took possession of her on 17 January 1956. She was subsequently scrapped.[2]

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See also

References
  1. Gröner, Jung & Maass 1991, p. 85.
  2. This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. "U-3008". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History & Heritage Command. Retrieved 10 December 2017.

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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and mine warfare vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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