German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-880 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged.^[1] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[1]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).^[1] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,850 nautical miles (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-880 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) Flak M42 as well as two twin 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft guns. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.^[1]

U-880 was ordered on 2 April 1942 from DeSchiMAG AG Weser in Bremen under the yard number 1088. Her keel was laid down on 17 July 1943 and the U-boat was launched the following year on 10 February 1944. She was commissioned into service under the command of Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Schötzau (Crew 36) in 4th U-boat Flotilla.

After completing training, U-880 was transferred to the 33rd U-boat Flotilla and left base for her first war patrol on 23 January 1945. Mechanical failures, however, forced her to return prematurely in two cases. She finally left Bergen for the West Atlantic on 14 March 1945. She joined group Seewolf in April, but was picked up by Task Force 22.5 before she could attack any ships. USS Frost made radar-contact with the U-boat just after midnight on 16 April. Frost and USS Stanton chased the submerged U-boat for several hours and finally attacked U-880 with hedgehogs, sinking her. There were no survivors.^[2]

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC/40 boat U-880". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 2 February 2015.