German submarine U-586
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany
| |
| Name: | U-586 |
| Ordered: | 8 January 1940 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number: | 562 |
| Laid down: | 1 October 1940 |
| Launched: | 10 July 1941 |
| Commissioned: | 4 September 1941 |
| Fate: | Sunk in port near Toulon, France. She was bombed by USAAF B-24 Liberators (15th Air Force) on 5 July 1944 at position 43°07′N 05°55′E / 43.117°N 5.917°E. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: |
|
| Beam: |
|
| Height: | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught: | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power: |
|
| Propulsion: |
|
| Speed: |
|
| Range: | |
| Test depth: |
|
| Complement: | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament: |
|
- 6th U-boat Flotilla
- 4 September 1941 – 1 January 1942 - Training
- 6th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 January – 30 June 1942
- 11th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943
- 13th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 June 1942 – 30 September 1943
- 6th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 October 1943 – 29 February 1944
- 29th U-boat Flotilla
- 1 March – 5 July 1944
- Kptlt. Dietrich von der Esch
- 4 September 1941 – 30 September 1943
- Oblt.z.S. Hans Götze
- 1 October 1943 – 5 July 1944
- 1st patrol: 12 January – 12 February 1942
- 2nd patrol: 14–22 March 1942
- 3rd patrol: 10 May – 1 June 1942
- 4th patrol: 25 July – 16 August 1942
- 5th patrol: 11–12 October 1942
- 6th patrol: 18 November – 1 December 1942
- 7th patrol: 2–13 March 1943
- 8th patrol: 29 March – 2 May 1943
- 9th patrol: 5 June – 10 July 1943
- 10th patrol: 21–31 July 1943
- 11th patrol: 19 October – 3 December 1943
- 12th patrol: 29 January – 22 February 1944
- 13th patrol: 9 May – 21 June 1944
German submarine U-586 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 562, launched on 10 July 1941 and commissioned on 4 September 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Dietrich von der Esch.
Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-586 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-586 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]
Service history
The boat's service began on 4 September 1941 with training as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th flotilla on 1 July 1942 and then to the 13th flotilla on 1 June 1943. She returned to the 6th Flotilla a short while later on 1 October 1943, and then to her final assignment with 29th Flotilla in the Mediterranean.
In 13 patrols she sank two merchant ships for a total of 12,716 gross register tons (GRT), plus one merchant ship damaged.
Wolfpacks
She took part in ten wolfpacks, namely,
- Robbe (15–24 January 1942)
- Greif (14–29 May 1942)
- Nebelkönig (27 July – 14 August 1942)
- Boreas (19–26 November 1942)
- Taifun (2–4 April 1943)
- Jahn (31 October – 2 November 1943)
- Tirpitz 3 (2–8 November 1943)
- Eisenhart 5 (9–15 November 1943)
- Schill 2 (17–22 November 1943)
- Weddigen (22–25 November 1943)
Fate
She was sunk whilst alongside at Missiessy East Quay, Toulon, France, by a USAAF air raid by B-24 Liberator bombers of 15th Air Force.
Summary of raiding history
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 February 1942 | Anna Knudsen |  Norway |
9,057 | Damaged |
| 2 November 1942 | Empire Gilbert |  United Kingdom |
6,640 | Sunk |
| 9 March 1943 | Puerto Rican |  United States |
6,076 | Sunk |
See also
References
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-586". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-586". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German) IV (Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler). ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel (London: Conway Maritime Press). ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-586". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.