SM U-39 was a German Type U 31 U-boat which operated in the Mediterranean Sea during World War I. It ended up being the second most successful U-boat participating in the war, sinking 149 merchant ships for a total of 404,774 GRT.

Its longest-serving captain was Kapitänleutnant Walther Forstmann, who was awarded the Pour le Mérite during command on U-39.

From January to mid-1917, Martin Niemöller served as U-39s coxswain. He is known as the author of the 1946 poem "First they came..."; as an enemy of the Third Reich, he was imprisoned from 1938 to 1945. In 1917 and 1918, Karl Dönitz served as watch officer on this boat. He later became Grand Admiral and Commander in Chief of the German Navy, and, for three weeks following Hitler's death, the head of the remnants of the Nazi government.

Design Type U 31 submarines were double-hulled ocean-going submarines similar to Type 23 and Type 27 subs in dimensions and differed only slightly in propulsion and speed. They were considered very good high sea boats with average manoeuvrability and good surface steering.

U-39 had an overall length of , her pressure hull was long. The boat's beam was (o/a), while the pressure hull measured . Type 31s had a draught of with a total height of . The boats displaced a total of ; when surfaced and when submerged.

U-39 was fitted with two Germania 6-cylinder two-stroke diesel engines with a total of for use on the surface and two Siemens-Schuckert double-acting electric motors with a total of for underwater use. These engines powered two shafts each with a propeller, which gave the boat a top surface speed of , and when submerged. Cruising range was at on the surface, and at under water. Diving depth was .

The U-boat was armed with four torpedo tubes, two fitted in the bow and two in the stern, and carried 6 torpedoes. Additionally U-39 was equipped in 1915 with one Uk L/30 deck gun, which was replaced with a in 1916/17. The boat's complement was 4 officers and 31 enlisted.

Fate On 27 April 1918, U-39 sailed from Pola under command of Kapitänleutnant Heinrich Metzger, for operations in the Western Mediterranean. On 17 May, together with , U-39 operated against a convoy North of Oran, from which it sank the British steamer Sculptor (4,874 GRT) in a submerged attack.

At 13:50 on 18 May, when in a position , U-39 was attacked by two French seaplanes. It crash-dived, but when reaching a depth of 12 meters two bombs exploded very close; the after torpedo room flooded, the diving planes were destroyed, and the boat began sinking by the stern. Kptlt. Metzger ordered the tanks blown and U-39 surfaced, but the heavy damage suffered prevented diving again. Metzger was forced to lay a course for the nearest Spanish harbour, Cartagena.

At about 17:00, U-39 was attacked again by two seaplanes; it fought back with gun and machine-guns, and the enemy bombs caused no damage, but during the action two crewmen (sailor Schulz and stoker Hausottl) fell overboard and were lost.

In the evening U-39 reached Cartagena and was interned for the remainder of the war.

It was surrendered to France on 22 March 1919 and was broken up at Toulon in 1923.

Summary of raiding history DateNameNationalityTonnageMerchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.Fate1 May 1915Balduin1,059Sunk1 May 1915Elsa120Sunk2 May 1915St. Louis No. 1211Sunk2 May 1915Sunray165Sunk3 May 1915Scottish Queen125Sunk4 May 1915Elsa329Sunk5 May 1915Sceptre166Sunk6 May 1915Truro836Sunk7 May 1915Benington131Sunk10 May 1915Olga798Captured as prize26 June 1915Campania167Sunk29 June 1915Cambuskenneth1,924Sunk29 June 1915Kotka952Damaged30 June 1915Lomas3,048Sunk1 July 1915Caucasian4,656Sunk1 July 1915Craigard3,286Sunk1 July 1915Gadsby3,497Sunk1 July 1915Inglemoor4,331Sunk1 July 1915Richmond3,214Sunk2 July 1915Hirondelle183Sunk2 July 1915Boduognat1,411Sunk2 July 1915City of Edinburgh6,255Damaged3 July 1915Fiery Cross1,448Sunk3 July 1915Larchmore4,355Sunk3 July 1915Renfrew3,488Sunk4 July 1915Anglo-Californian7,333Damaged2 September 1915William T. Lewis2,166Damaged9 September 1915Cornubia1,736Sunk9 September 1915L’Aude2,232Sunk9 September 1915Ville De Mostaganem2,648Sunk28 September 1915H. C. Henry4,219Sunk29 September 1915Haydn3,923Sunk30 September 1915Cirene3,236Sunk2 October 1915Sailor Prince3,144Sunk7 October 1915Halizones5,093Sunk8 October 1915Thorpwood3,184Sunk9 October 1915Apollo3,774Sunk12 October 1915HMD Restore93Sunk30 November 1915Middleton2,506Sunk3 December 1915Dante889Sunk3 December 1915Helmsmuir4,111Sunk5 December 1915Petrolite3,710Damaged5 December 1915Pietro Lofaro517Sunk6 December 1915L. G. Goulandris2,123Sunk7 December 1915Veria3,229Sunk9 December 1915Busiris2,705Sunk9 December 1915Orteric6,535Sunk10 December 1915Porto Said5,301Sunk18 December 1915HMD Lottie Leask94Sunk22 January 1916Norseman9,542Sunk31 March 1916Egeo1,787Sunk31 March 1916Riposto1,003Sunk2 April 1916Simla5,884Sunk3 April 1916Clan Campbell5,897Sunk4 April 1916Giuseppe Padre184Sunk4 April 1916Maria Carmella Findari42Sunk6 April 1916Stjerneborg1,592Sunk6 April 1916Colbert5,394Damaged9 April 1916Caledonia1,815Sunk13 April 1916Lipari1,539Sunk20 May 1916Redentore228Sunk20 May 1916Valsesia248Sunk21 May 1916Birmania2,384Sunk21 May 1916Rosalia Madre251Sunk23 May 1916Hercules2,704Sunk23 May 1916Maria Porto Di Salvezza39Sunk23 May 1916Teresa Accame4,742Damaged23 May 1916Washington2,819Sunk24 May 1916Aurrera2,845Sunk25 May 1916Fratelli Bandiera3,506Sunk25 May 1916Rita200Sunk27 May 1916Mar Terso3,778Sunk27 May 1916Trunkby2,635Sunk28 May 1916Lady Ninian4,297Sunk29 May 1916Baron Vernon1,779Sunk29 May 1916Elmgrove3,018Sunk29 May 1916Southgarth2,414Sunk30 May 1916Baron Tweedmouth5,007Sunk30 May 1916Dalegarth2,265Sunk30 May 1916Hermesberg2,884Sunk30 May 1916Rauma3,047Sunk1 June 1916Dewsland1,993Sunk1 June 1916Salmonpool4,905Sunk13 July 1916Silverton2,682Sunk14 July 1916Antigua2,876Sunk14 July 1916Ecclesia3,714Sunk15 July 1916Sylvie1,354Sunk16 July 1916Euphorbia3,837Sunk16 July 1916Sirra3,203Sunk16 July 1916Wiltonhall3,387Sunk17 July 1916Angelo3,609Sunk17 July 1916Rosemoor4,303Sunk18 July 1916Llongwen4,683Sunk20 July 1916Cettois974Sunk20 July 1916Grangemoor3,198Sunk20 July 1916Karma3,710Sunk20 July 1916Yzer3,538Sunk21 July 1916Wolf2,443Sunk22 July 1916Knutsford3,842Sunk22 July 1916Olive3,678Sunk23 July 1916Badminton3,847Sunk24 July 1916Maria198Sunk29 July 1916Letimbro2,210Sunk29 July 1916Rosarina G.V.131Sunk19 October 1916Penylan3,875Sunk20 October 1916Mombassa4,689Sunk22 October 1916Cluden3,166Sunk22 October 1916Nina3,383Sunk22 October 1916Ravn998Sunk22 October 1916W. Harkess1,185Sunk27 November 1916Margarita1,112Sunk27 November 1916Reapwell3,417Sunk28 November 1916King Malcolm4,351Sunk28 November 1916Moresby1,763Sunk2 December 1916Istrar4,582Sunk3 December 1916Plata1,861Sunk9 January 1917Baynesk3,286Sunk15 January 1917Garfield3,838Sunk28 January 1917Amiral Magon5,566Sunk, 203 people killed14 February 1917Torino4,159Sunk15 February 1917Minas2,854Sunk, 870 people killed17 February 1917Ala359Sunk20 February 1917Rosalie4,237Sunk21 February 1917Wathfield3,012Sunk22 February 1917Ville De Bougie508Sunk23 February 1917Trojan Prince3,196Sunk26 February 1917Burnby3,665Sunk3 March 1917S. Anna S.41Sunk3 June 1917Petronilla Madre43Sunk6 June 1917Diane590Sunk8 June 1917Huntstrick8,151Sunk8 June 1917Isle Of Jura3,809Sunk8 June 1917HMML 54037Sunk8 June 1917HMML 54137Sunk8 June 1917Valdieri4,637Sunk10 June 1917Petrolite3,710Sunk11 June 1917Wera476Sunk12 June 1917Gaita396Sunk15 June 1917Espinho740Sunk19 June 1917Kyma3,420Sunk20 June 1917Eli Lindoe1,116Sunk22 June 1917Toro1,141Sunk23 June 1917Isere2,159Sunk29 July 1917Manchester Commerce4,144Sunk30 July 1917Carlo5,572Sunk30 July 1917Ganges4,177Sunk31 July 1917Carolvore1,659Sunk31 July 1917Ypres305Sunk3 August 1917Halldor2,919Sunk5 August 1917Ryton3,991Sunk27 September 1917Swan River4,724Sunk1 October 1917Mersario3,847Sunk1 October 1917Normanton3,862Sunk2 October 1917Almora4,385Sunk2 October 1917Hikosan Maru3,555Sunk2 October 1917Nuceria4,702Sunk14 November 1917Buenaventura257Sunk18 November 1917HMS Candytuft1,290Sunk21 November 1917Schuylkill2,720Sunk23 November 1917Markella1,124Sunk25 November 1917Karema5,263Sunk17 May 1918Sculptor4,874Sunk

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

External links