German submarine U-88 (1941)

German submarine U-88 was a Type VIIC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Flender Werke in Lübeck as 'werk' 292, launched on 16 August 1941 and commissioned on 15 October with Kapitänleutnant Heino Bohmann in command.

She was a fairly successful boat, succeeding in sinking over 12,000 tons of Allied shipping in a career lasting just one year over three patrols. She was a member of three wolfpacks.

1st patrol
Having moved from Kiel to Kirkenes in Norway in April 1942, U-88 departed for her first patrol on the 29th. She returned on 3 May.

2nd patrol
The boat moved from Kirkenes to Narvik in early May and set-off for what was to be her most successful patrol on 17 June 1942. She sank two American ships, part of the ill-fated Convoy PQ-17, on 5 July. After a three hour pursuit, the Carlton was hit by a torpedo which did not detonate. A second torpedo did explode on impact, the ship sank in ten minutes. U-88's second victim was the Daniel Morgan which had already been attacked by German aircraft. Two 'eels' (U-boat slang for torpedoes), sent her to the bottom. Three men died, there were 51 survivors.

3rd patrol and loss
U-88 left Narvik for the last time on 25 August 1942. She was sunk south of Spitzbergen at 75.06667°N, 4.81667°W by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Faulknor on 12 September.

46 men died; there were no survivors.