History | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Name | U-572 |
Ordered | 24 October 1939 |
Builder | Blohm & Voss of Hamburg |
Yard number | 548 |
Laid down | 15 June 1940 |
Launched | 5 April 1941 |
Commissioned | 29 May 1941 |
Fate | Sunk on 3 August 1943 off Trinidad |
General characteristics | |
Class and 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 |
|
Service record [1] | |
Part of: |
|
Identification codes: | M 42 493 |
Commanders: | |
Operations: |
|
Victories: |
German submarine U-572 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down 15 June 1940 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg as yard number 548. She was launched on 5 April 1941 and commissioned on 29 May.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-572 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-572 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]
U-572 undertook nine patrols before it was sunk by an Allied marine aircraft in the Mid Atlantic in 1943.
The boat made an attempt to enter the Mediterranean but the commander gave up after a long period submerged in the heavy defences at Gibraltar and stated that he considered that his boat had been damaged and therefore he could not continue. However, Kapitänleutnant Heinz Hirsacker was reported by his senior watch officer for alleged cowardice. He was found guilty of "cowardice in the presence of the enemy" by courts marshall. On 24 April 1943 he committed suicide shortly before his execution. [3] The U Boat was depth charged and sunk by a US Martin PBM Mariner from VP-205 NE of Trinidad on 3 August 1943, in position 11°35′N54°05′W / 11.583°N 54.083°W . All 47 crew members died.
U-572 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage [Note 1] | Fate [4] |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 April 1942 | Ensis | ![]() | 6,207 | Damaged |
16 April 1942 | Desert Light | ![]() | 2,368 | Sunk |
20 April 1942 | Empire Dryden | ![]() | 7,164 | Sunk |
7 August 1942 | Delfshaven | ![]() | 5,281 | Sunk |
22 June 1943 | Lot | ![]() | 4,220 | Sunk |
14 July 1943 | Harvard | ![]() | 114 | Sunk |
15 July 1943 | Gilbert B. Walters | ![]() | 176 | Sunk |
German submarine U-772 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-225 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-302 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 2 April 1941 at the Flender Werke yard at Lübeck as yard number 302, launched on 25 April 1942 and commissioned on 16 June under the command of Kapitänleutnant Herbert Sackel.
German submarine U-657 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 5 October 1940 by Howaldtswerke, Hamburg as yard number 806, launched on 12 August 1941 and commissioned on 8 October 1941 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Jürgen Radke.
German submarine U-638 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 16 October 1941 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 614, launched on 8 July 1942 and commissioned on 3 September 1942 under Kapitänleutnant Oskar Staudinger.
German submarine U-739 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 April 1942 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1536, launched on 23 December 1942 and commissioned on 6 March 1943 under Leutnant zur See Ernst Mangold.
German submarine U-997 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 7 December 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 197, launched on 18 August 1943 and commissioned on 23 September 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans Lehmann.
German submarine U-1004 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 15 January 1943 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 204, launched on 27 October 1943 and commissioned on 16 December 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hartmuth Schimmelpfennig.
German submarine U-992 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 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 192, launched on 24 June 1943 and commissioned on 2 August 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans Falke.
German submarine U-1203 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 15 May 1943 by Schichau-Werke, Danzig as yard number 1573, launched on 9 December 1943 and commissioned on 10 February 1944 under Oberleutnant zur See Erich Steinbrink.
German submarine U-956 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 20 February 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 156, launched on 14 November 1942 and commissioned on 6 January 1943 under Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Dieter Mohs.
German submarine U-990 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 17 October 1942 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 190, launched on 16 June 1943 and commissioned on 28 July 1943 under Kapitänleutnant Hubert Nordheimer.
German submarine U-1002 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-1007 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-1103 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-1272 was a Type VIIC/41 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-773 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-963 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-981 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
German submarine U-1052 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.
11°35′N54°05′W / 11.583°N 54.083°W