German submarine U-99 (1940)

German submarine U-99 was a Type VIIB U-boat of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) during World War II. She was laid down on 31 March 1939 at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel as 'werk' 593. She was launched on 12 March 1940 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7th U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire.

U-99 was one of the most successful German U-boats in the war, sinking 38 ships for a total tonnage of of Allied shipping in eight patrols. She damaged five more ships and took one vessel as a prize.

Career
From April to June 1940, the crew of U-99 were under training, based at Kiel and St. Nazaire.

1st patrol
On 18 June, U-99 departed Kiel for operations in the North Sea west of Norway. She was attacked by an Arado Ar-96 seaplane from the German battleship GERMAN BATTLESHIP Scharnhorst, having been mistaken for a British submarine. Two days later, U-99 was attacked by two aircraft; minor damage was inflicted. She returned to Kiel on 25 June.

2nd patrol
U-99 departed Wilhelmshaven on 27 June to patrol southwest of Ireland. On 29 June, she was attacked by British aircraft. A crash dive was carried out with the result that the boat hit the seabed, causing some damage which was able to be repaired. During this patrol, U-99 sank six ships. A seventh was captured. An attack on the 5,360 GRT SS Manistee was called off on 7 July, when the armed merchant ship fired upon the U-boat. On 8 July, over 100 depth charges were dropped by the escorts of Convoy HX 53, but U-99 escaped undamaged. The patrol ended on 21 July.

† Convoy HX 52, ‡ Convoy HX 53, * sunk by German bombing, 15 July 1940

3rd patrol
On 25 July, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk and three others damaged. On the 31st, the escorts of Convoy OB 191 dropped 20 depth charges on the boat without effect. Later that evening, a flying boat also attacked her, again without causing any damage. The patrol ended on 5 August.

† Convoy OB 191, ‡ Damaged

4th patrol
U-99 departed Lorient on 4 September for the North Atlantic; seven ships were sunk. The patrol ended on the 25th. U-99 was slightly damaged in an air raid on Lorient on 27 September.

† Convoy SC 3, ‡ Convoy HX 71, * Convoy HX 72

5th patrol
On 13 October, U-99 departed Lorient to patrol the North West Approaches. Six ships from Convoy SC 7 were sunk and another was damaged. The patrol ended on 22 October.

6th patrol
U-99 departed Lorient for the North West Approaches on 30 October 1940; four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 8 November.

† Convoy HX 83

7th patrol
On 27 November, U-99 departed Lorient for the North Atlantic. Four ships were sunk. The patrol ended on 12 December.

† Convoy HX 90, ‡ Convoy OB 252

8th patrol
U-99 departed Lorient on 22 February 1941 to patrol in the North Atlantic; eight ships were sunk. U-99 was attacked herself, with severe damage inflicted. Kretschmer surrendered and scuttled the submarine with the loss of three lives.

† Convoy OB 293, ‡ Convoy HX 112

Fate
On 17 March 1941, U-99 had just fired the last of her torpedoes and sunk Korshamn when the Watch Officer spotted a destroyer, south-east of Iceland in approximate position 61°N, -12°W. He immediately ordered a dive, contrary to Kretschmer's standing orders, but once the boat was under it was quickly fixed on ASDIC and attacked by HMS Walker and Vanoc. U-99 was driven deep by the attack but was nonetheless severely damaged. Kretschmer had no choice but to surface; immediately a barrage of fire greeted the boat. Kretschmer sent a message to Donald Macintyre, Walker's captain, "CAPTAIN TO CAPTAIN. I AM SUNKING [sic] PLEASE RESCUE MY CREW." He then ordered that the boat should be scuttled. 40 crew, including Kretschmer, were rescued to become POWs, while three crewmen lost their lives. Macintyre took Kretschmer's binoculars as a souvenir.

Wolfpack operations
U-99 operated with the following Wolfpacks during her career:
 * Wolfpack 1 (20 September 1940 - 22 September 1940)
 * Wolfpack 2 (17 October 1940 - 19 October 1940)