German submarine U-591

German submarine U-591 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 30 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 567, launched on 20 August 1941 and commissioned on 9 October 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche.

History
Nazi Germany
NameU-591
Ordered16 January 1940
BuilderBlohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number567
Laid down30 October 1940
Launched20 August 1941
Commissioned9 October 1941
FateSunk on 30 July 1943 in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco in position 08°36′S 34°34′W, by depth charges from a US Lockheed Ventura aircraft.
General characteristics
Class and typeType VIIC submarine
Displacement
  • 769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced
  • 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length
Beam
  • 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a
  • 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power
  • 2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels)
  • 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced
  • 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged
Range
  • 8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth
  • 230 m (750 ft)
  • Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft)
Complement4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche
  • 9 October 1941 – 8 September 1942
  • Oblt.z.S. Peter Schrewe
  • 9 September – 12 November 1942
  • Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche
  • 12 November 1942 – 17 May 1943
  • Lt.z.S. Joachim Sauerbier
  • 15 – 17 May 1943
  • Oblt.z.S. Reimar Ziesmer
  • 1 June – 30 July 1943
Operations:
  • 8 patrols:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 15 January – 20 February 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 1 – 11 April 1942
  • 3rd patrol:
  • a. 10 May – 2 June 1942
  • b. 4 – 7 June 1942
  • 4th patrol:
  • a. 27 July – 14 August 1942
  • b. 22 – 24 August 1942
  • c. 27 August 1942
  • d. 28 – 29 August 1942
  • e. 8 – 9 September 1942
  • f. 11 – 12 September 1942
  • 5th patrol:
  • 1 December 1942 – 12 January 1943
  • 6th patrol:
  • 17 February – 7 April 1943
  • 7th patrol:
  • 12 – 17 May 1943
  • 8th patrol:
  • 26 June – 30 July 1943
Victories:
  • 4 merchant ships sunk
    (19,932 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged
    (5,701 GRT)

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-591 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-591 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 a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.[2]

Service history

The boat's service began on 9 October 1941 with training, followed by active service as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th Flotilla on 1 July 1942 for active service in the North Atlantic operating out of Bergen. The following year, on 1 June 1943, she transferred to 9th Flotilla operating of Brest, France.

In 8 patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 19,932 gross register tons (GRT), plus one merchant ship damaged.

Convoy ONS 154

The first victim of Convoy ONS 154 was the 5,701-GRT Norwegian freighter Norse King, the second in column eleven, on 28 December 1942. U-591 torpedo hit her at 20:04. Badly damaged, Norse King attempted to limp to the Azores but was found by U-435 and sent to the bottom.
U-591’s second success was the badly damaged and abandoned 4,871-GRT United Africa Company freighter Zarian with a single torpedo, although she missed the Baron Cochrane

Convoy SC 121

Having recently returned to sea after a long recovery from gunshot wounds, Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche was on target with Convoy SC 121 when he sighted the Empire Impala, hove-to picking up survivors from the torpedoed Egyptian, on 7 March 1943. Of the combined crew of 80 men, from both Egyptian and Empire Impala, only 3 survived.

Fate

U-591 was sunk on 30 July 1943 in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco in position 08°36′S 34°34′W; depth charged by a US Lockheed Ventura aircraft of VB-127. There were 19 dead and 28 survivors.

Wolfpacks

U-591 took part in nine wolfpacks, namely:

  • Schlei (21 January – 12 February 1942)
  • Bums (6 – 10 April 1942)
  • Greif (14 – 29 May 1942)
  • Nebelkönig (27 July – 13 August 1942)
  • Ungestüm (11 – 30 December 1942)
  • Sturmbock (21 – 26 February 1943)
  • Wildfang (26 February – 5 March 1943)
  • Westmark (6 – 11 March 1943)
  • Seewolf (21 – 30 March 1943)

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Name Nationality Tonnage
(GRT)		 Fate[3]
21 December 1942 Montreal City  United Kingdom 3,066 Sunk
28 December 1942 Norse King  Norway 5,701 Damaged
29 December 1942 Zarian  United Kingdom 4,871 Sunk
7 March 1943 Empire Impala  United Kingdom 6,116 Sunk
8 March 1943 Vojvoda Putnik  Yugoslavia 5,879 Sunk

References
  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-591". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-591". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 11 June 2014.

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell. pp. 137, 138, 167–169. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. ISBN 0-85177-593-4. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  • Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

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