German submarine U-985

German submarine U-985 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 18 September 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 185, launched on 20 May 1943 and commissioned on 24 June 1943 under Kapitänleutnant Horst Wilhelm Kessler.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-985 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-985 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and one twin 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 24 June 1943, followed by active service on 1 January 1944 as part of the 7th Flotilla for the remainder of her service.

In three patrols she sank one merchant ship, for a total of.

Wolfpacks
U-985 took part in four wolfpacks, namely:
 * Stürmer (26 January – 3 February 1944)
 * Igel 1 (3 – 17 February 1944)
 * Hai 1 (17 – 22 February 1944)
 * Preussen (22 February – 10 March 1944)

Fate
U-985 was decommissioned on 15 November 1944 following heavy damage suffered on 23 October 1944 when she hit a German mine at Lister in Southern Norway. She returned to Kristiansand and taken out of service. She was captured at the end of the war and broken up.