SM U-38

SM "U-38" was a German Type U 31 U-boat which operated in the Mediterranean Sea during World War I. It ended up being the third most successful u-boat participating in the war sinking 138 ships sunk for a total of 299.985 tons.

Its longest serving captain was Max Valentiner, who was awarded the Pour le Mérite during command on "U-38" and responsible for the sinking of SS Persia on December 30, 1915 where he broke international law, Rules of Prize Warfare, and sunk it without warning. The ship sank in five to ten minutes, killing 343 of the 519 aboard.

Later Admiral and head of the Abwehr from 1935 to 1944 Wilhelm Canaris took over from Max Valentiner on "U-38".

Fate

After World War I ended, "U-38" was surrendered to France and docked in Brest in 1919 and then broken up.

References

*Eberhard Rössler: "Geschichte des deutschen U-Bootbaus - Band 1". Bernhard & Graefe Verlag 1996, ISBN 3-86047-153-8
*Bodo Herzog: "Deutsche U-Boote 1906-1966". Manfred Pawlak Verlags GmbH, Herrschingen 1990, ISBN 3-88199-687-7

External links

* [http://www.uboat.net/wwi/boats/index.html?boat=38 uboat.net webpage for "U-38"]
* [http://www.max-valentiner.dk Homepage for "Christian August Max Ahlmann Valentiner:"]