German submarine U-591

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-591
Ordered:	16 January 1940
Builder:	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number:	567
Laid down:	30 October 1940
Launched:	20 August 1941
Commissioned:	9 October 1941
Fate:	Sunk 30 July 1943 in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco in position 08°36′S 34°34′W / 8.600°S 34.567°W, by depth charges from a US Lockheed Ventura aircraft.
General characteristics
Class & type:	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement:	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced 871 t (857 long tons) submerged
Length:	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull
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:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
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:	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern) 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds) various AA guns

Service record^[1] Part of:

• 6th U-boat Flotilla
• 9 October 1941 – 1 January 1942 - Training
• 6th U-boat Flotilla
• 1 January – 30 June 1942
• 11th U-boat Flotilla
• 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943
• 9th U-boat Flotilla
• 1 June – 30 July 1943

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:

• 1st patrol: 15 January – 20 February 1942
• 2nd patrol: 1–11 April 1942
• 3rd patrol: 10 May – 2 June 1942
• 4th patrol: 27 July – 14 August 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)

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.

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 an 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 4 patrols she sank four merchant ships, for a total of 19,932 gross register tons (GRT), plus one merchant ship damaged.

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)

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 / 8.600°S 34.567°W; depth charged by a US Lockheed Ventura aircraft. There were 19 dead and 28 survivors.

Summary of raiding history

Date	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). 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.
• Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. pp. 137, 138, 167–169. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
• 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.
• Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-591". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.