List of all U-boats

U-488

Type

XIV

 
Ordered17 Jul 1941
Laid down3 Jan 1942 F. Krupp Germaniawerft AG, Kiel (werk 557)
Launched17 Oct 1942
Commissioned1 Feb 1943Ltnt. Erwin Bartke
Commanders
1 Feb 1943 - Feb, 1944  Oblt. (R) Erwin Bartke
Feb, 1944 - 26 Apr 1944  Oblt. (R) Bruno Studt
Career
3 patrols
1 Feb 1943-30 Apr 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 May 1943-26 Apr 1944  12. Flottille (active service)
SuccessesNo ships sunk or damaged
Fate

Sunk on April 26 1944 in the mid-Atlantic west of Cape Verde in position 17.54N, 38.05W by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Frost, USS Huse, USS Barber and USS Snowden. 64 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

View the 3 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-488 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Trutz (6 Jun 1943 - 12 Jun 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

12 Oct 1943
Two American Avenger aircraft from the escort carrier USS Card sent to intercept the milch cow found the boat and dropped Fido homing torpedoes. Claimed sunk, U-488 nonetheless survived unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 431)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

Men lost from the boat

15 Oct 1943
A man died of illness on 15 Oct. [Maschinenmaat Karl Bergmann]

25 Nov 1943
A man fell overboard, he was rescued died of heart failure shortly afterwards. [Matrosenobergefreiter Heinz Heinlein]

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Globe

Media links


The Milk Cows

John F White


amazon.co.uk
(£ 17.99)


USS Frost

Kerrigan, Warren J.


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 1

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


U-Boat Tankers, 1941-1945

White, John F.


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel




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