German submarine U-593

History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-593
Ordered: 16 January 1940
Builder: Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number: 569
Laid down: 17 December 1940
Launched: 3 September 1941
Commissioned: 23 October 1941
Fate: Sunk 13 December 1943 at position 37°38′N 05°58′E / 37.633°N 5.967°E / 37.633; 5.967 by US & Royal Navy.
General characteristics
Class and type: Type 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
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.74 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)
Complement: 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament:
Service record[1]
Part of:
Commanders:
Operations:
  • 1st patrol: 2–28 March 1942
  • 2nd patrol: 20 April – 18 June 1942
  • 3rd patrol: 22 July – 19 August 1942
  • 4th patrol: 3–15 October 1942
  • 5th patrol: 2–16 November 1942
  • 6th patrol: 29 November – 31 December 1942
  • 7th patrol: 6 February – 8 March 1943
  • 8th patrol: 13–21 March 1943
  • 9th patrol: 25 March – 4 April 1943
  • 10th patrol: 8–23 April 1943
  • 11th patrol: 13 June – 11 July 1943
  • 12th patrol: 27 July – 8 August 1943
  • 13th patrol: 15 September – 5 October 1943
  • 14th patrol: 26 October – 7 November 1943
  • 15th patrol: 25–29 November 1943
  • 16th patrol: 1–13 December 1943
Victories:
  • 9 merchant ships sunk (38,290 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship damaged (4,853 GRT)
  • 1 merchant ship total loss (8,426 GRT)
  • 3 warships sunk (2,902 tons)
  • 1 warship damaged (1,625 tons)
  • 1 warship total loss (1,625 tons)

German submarine U-593 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 December 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 569, launched on 3 September 1941 and commissioned on 23 October under Kapitänleutnant Gerd Kelbling.

The boat's service began on 23 October 1941 with training as part of the 8th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 7th flotilla on 1 March 1942 and moved on to the 29th flotilla on 1 November.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-593 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 BBC 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-593 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

In 16 patrols she sank 16 ships, including one warship for a total of 41,411 GRT. She was sunk on 13 December 1943 in the Mediterranean Sea, off Bougie, Algeria, in position 37°38′N 05°58′E / 37.633°N 5.967°E / 37.633; 5.967, by depth charges from USS Wainwright and HMS Calpe. There were no casualties.[3]

Wolfpacks

In addition she took part in three wolfpacks, namely,

Summary of raiding history

Date Name Nationality Tonnage[Note 1] Fate[4]
14 May 1942 Stavros  Greece 4,853 Damaged
25 May 1942 Persephone  Panama 8,426 Total loss
5 August 1942 Spar  Netherlands 3,616 Sunk
12 November 1942 Browning  United Kingdom 5,332 Sunk
18 March 1943 Dafila  United Kingdom 1,940 Sunk
18 March 1943 Kaying  United Kingdom 2,626 Sunk
27 March 1943 City of Guildford  United Kingdom 5,157 Sunk
11 April 1943 Runo  United Kingdom 1,858 Sunk
22 June 1943 USS LST-333  United States Navy 1,625 Total loss
22 June 1943 USS LST-387  United States Navy 1,625 Damaged
5 July 1943 Devis  United Kingdom 6,054 Sunk
21 September 1943 William W. Gerhard  United States 7,176 Sunk
7 September 1943 USS Skill  United States Navy 815 Sunk
3 November 1943 Mont Viso  Free France 4,531 Sunk
12 December 1943 HMS Tynedale  Royal Navy 1,000 Sunk
12 December 1943 HMS Holcombe  Royal Navy 1,087 Sunk

See also

References

Notes

  1. Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

  1. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-593". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Gröner 1991, pp. 43-46.
  3. Busch & Röll 1999.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-593". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 17 April 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]. 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. 
  • Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-Boats at War. London, UK: Cassell Military Classics. pp. 89, 91–93. ISBN 0-304-35203-9. 

External links

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