Unterseeboot 99 (1940)

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U-99
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Kriegsmarine
Type	VIIB
Fieldpost number	M 17 046
Shipyard	Germaniawerft, Kiel
Yard number	593
Ordered	December 15, 1937
Laid down	March 31, 1939
Launched	March 12, 1940
Commissioned	April 18, 1940
Career
Patrols	11
Flotillas	7. Unterseebootsflottille
Commanders	Otto Kretschmer
Successes
35 ships sunk for a total of 198.218 GRT 3 auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 46.440 GRT 5 ships damaged for a total of 37.965 GRT 1 ship taken as prize for a total of 2.136 GRT
Fate
Scuttled March 17, 1941 south-east of Iceland. 3 dead and 40 survivors.

Unterseeboot 99 (usually abbreviated to U-99) was a German Type VIIB U-boat built during World War II. Her keel was laid on March 31, 1939 at the Krupp Germaniawerft in Kiel. She was launched on April 12, 1940 under the command of Otto Kretschmer and was assigned to the 7. Unterseebootsflottille based in Kiel and later in St Nazaire.

U-99 was one of the most successful boats in the entire war, succeeding in sinking 38 ships for a total tonnage of 244,658 GRT of allied shipping in 8 patrols, damaged 5 more ships and even 1 ship taken as prize.

[edit] Fate

On March 17, 1941 U-99 had just fired the last of her torpedoes and sunk MV Korshamn when the Watch Officer spotted a destroyer, south-east of Iceland in approximate position 61° N 12° W. He immediately ordered a dive, but once the boat was under it was quickly fixed on ASDIC and attacked by HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc. U-99 was driven deep by the attack and severely damaged. Kretschmer had no choice but to surface and he ordered that the boat should be scuttled. 40 crew including Kretschmer were rescued to become POWs, while 3 crewmen lost their lives.