German submarine U-988

German submarine U-988 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 2 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 188, launched on 3 June 1943 and commissioned on 15 July 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Erich Dobberstein.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-988 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-988 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
U-988′s career began on 15 July 1943 with training as part of the 5th U-boat Flotilla. On 8 September 1943, she collided with U-983 in the Baltic Sea north of Loba (54.76667°N, 17.23333°W). As a result of the collision, U-983 sank with the loss of five of her 43 crew.

U-988 began active service on 1 June 1944 as part of the 7th U-boat Flotilla.

Wolfpacks
U-988 took part in no wolfpacks.

Fate
U-988 was sunk by depth charges from a US Liberator on 22 June 1944. All hands lost after the attack.

Previously recorded fate
U-988 sent her last radio message on 18 June, informing about an air attack, and was lost with all hands thereafter, and her fate is not certain. It is believed, that U-988 attacked three ships in 27–29 June and then was sunk on 29/30 June 1944 in the English Channel west of Guernsey at 49.61667°N, -3.68333°W at dawn by the Royal Navy frigates HMS Essington (K353), HMS Cooke (K471), HMS Duckworth (K351), and HMS Domett (K473), after being damaged by and Royal Air Force Liberators of No. 244 Squadron.

Alternate fate
There appeared however a theory, that U-988 could have been sunk after an attack of Polish Wellington Mk XIV from 304 Squadron, piloted by Leopold Antoniewicz, which was credited with sinking a submarine on 18 June in the approximate position 49.05°N, -4.8°W. Then, the submarine sank on 29/30 June could have been U-1191.