German submarine U-968 facts for kids

{{Infobox ship characteristics

Quick facts for kids History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-968
Ordered	5 June 1941
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	168
Laid down	14 May 1942
Launched	4 February 1943
Commissioned	18 March 1943
Fate	Surrendered on 9 May 1945; sunk as part of Operation Deadlight on 29 November 1945
Hide header=	Header caption=	Ship class=Type VIIC submarine	Ship displacement= 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged	Ship length= 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on]] pressure hull	Ship beam= {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on]] o/a 4.70 metres (15 ft 5 in)*
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla 18 March 1943 – 29 February 1944 13th U-boat Flotilla 1 March 1944 – 8 May 1945
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. Otto Westphalen 18 March 1943 – 9 May 1945
Operations:	7 patrols: 1st patrol: a. 7 March – 2 April 1944 b. 4 – 6 April 1944 c. 11 – 14 July 1944 d. 17 – 21 July 1944 e. 20 – 22 August 1944 2nd patrol: 29 August – 10 September 1944 3rd patrol: 24 September – 3 October 1944 4th patrol: a. 14 October – 11 November 1944 b. 13 – 16 November 1944 c. 23 – 25 January 1945 d. 1 February 1945 5th patrol: 7 – 20 February 1945 6th patrol: 12 – 30 March 1945 7th patrol: a. 21 April – 6 May 1945 b. 7 May 1945 c. 15 – 19 May 1945
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk (14,386 GRT) 1 warship sunk (1,350 tons) 1 merchant ship total loss (7,200 GRT) 1 warship total loss (1,350 tons) 1 merchant ship damaged (8,129 GRT)

German submarine U-968 was a Type VIIC U-boat. It was built for Nazi Germany's navy, the Kriegsmarine, during World War II.

The U-968 was ordered on June 5, 1941. It was built by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany. The submarine was started on May 14, 1942, and launched on February 4, 1943. It officially joined the navy on March 18, 1943. Its first commander was Oberleutnant zur See Otto Westphalen.

Submarine Design and Features

The U-968 was a Type VIIC U-boat. These submarines were a common type used by Germany. They were designed to be strong and effective underwater.

Size and Weight

When on the surface of the water, U-968 weighed about 769 tons. When it was fully underwater, it weighed 871 tons. The submarine was about 67.10 meters (220 feet) long overall. Its main body, called the pressure hull, was 50.50 meters (165 feet) long. The submarine was 6.20 meters (20 feet) wide and 9.60 meters (31 feet) tall. It sat 4.74 meters (15 feet) deep in the water.

Power and Speed

The U-968 used two diesel engines when it was on the surface. These engines gave it enough power to travel at a top speed of 17.7 knots. That's about 32.8 kilometers per hour (20.4 mph). When underwater, it switched to two electric motors. These motors allowed it to move at a speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h or 8.7 mph).

The submarine could travel a long way without refueling. On the surface, it could go 8,500 nautical miles (15,742 km) at 10 knots. Underwater, it could travel 80 nautical miles (148 km) at 4 knots.

How Deep Could It Go?

The U-968 was built to operate safely at depths of up to 230 meters (750 feet). Its maximum "crush depth" was between 250 and 295 meters (820 to 968 feet). This is the depth where the water pressure would become too strong for the submarine's hull.

Weapons and Crew

The U-968 was well-armed. It had five torpedo tubes, which are like underwater cannons. Four were at the front (bow) and one was at the back (stern). It carried 14 torpedoes. It also had a large 8.8 cm deck gun and a twin 2 cm anti-aircraft gun to defend against planes. The submarine usually had a crew of 4 officers and between 40 and 56 sailors.

Service History

The U-968 began its training with the 5th U-boat Flotilla on March 18, 1943. After training, it joined the 13th U-boat Flotilla on March 1, 1944. It served with this group for the rest of the war.

During its time in service, U-968 went on seven patrols. It successfully sank two merchant ships. It also damaged one other merchant ship.

What Were Wolfpacks?

U-968 took part in seven "wolfpacks." A wolfpack was a group of U-boats that worked together. They would hunt Allied convoys (groups of ships traveling together) in the Atlantic Ocean. This tactic was used to overwhelm enemy defenses.

Here are the wolfpacks U-968 was part of:

• Hammer (March 17 – April 1, 1944)
• Dachs (September 1 – September 5, 1944)
• Zorn (September 26 – October 1, 1944)
• Grimm (October 1 – October 2, 1944)
• Panther (October 16 – November 10, 1944)
• Rasmus (February 7 – February 13, 1945)
• Hagen (March 13 – March 21, 1945)

The End of U-968

U-968 surrendered on May 9, 1945, in Narvik, Norway, as World War II was ending. It was then moved to Scotland. Later, it became part of Operation Deadlight. This was an operation where Allied forces sank captured German U-boats to prevent them from being used again.

On November 29, 1945, U-968 was sunk by Allied forces in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its final resting place is at coordinates 55°24′N 06°22′W.

Summary of Ships Attacked

This table shows the ships that U-968 attacked during its patrols.

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
14 February 1945	Norfjell	Norway	8,129	Damaged
14 February 1945	Horace Gray	United States	7,200	Total loss
17 February 1945	HMS Lark	Royal Navy	1,350	Total loss
17 February 1945	Thomas Scott	United States	7,176	Sunk
20 March 1945	Thomas Donaldson	United States	7,210	Sunk
20 March 1945	HMS Lapwing	Royal Navy	1,350	Sunk