German submarine U-572
History | |
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Nazi Germany | |
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 |
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Beam |
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Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | |
Test depth |
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Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
Armament |
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Service record[1] | |
Part of: |
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Identification codes: | M 42 493 |
Commanders: |
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Operations: |
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Victories: |
German submarine U-572 was a
on 29 May.Design
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).
Service history
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′N 54°05′W / 11.583°N 54.083°W. All 47 crew members died.
Wolfpacks
U-572 took part in eleven wolfpacks, namely:
- Brandenburg (15 September – 1 October 1941)
- Störtebecker (5 – 19 November 1941)
- Gödecke (19 – 26 November 1941)
- Hai (3 – 21 July 1942)
- Streitaxt (20 October – 2 November 1942)
- Schlagetot (9 – 16 November 1942)
- Falke (28 December 1942 – 19 January 1943)
- Landsknecht (19 – 28 January 1943)
- Hartherz (3 – 7 February 1943)
- Seeteufel (21 – 30 March 1943)
- Löwenherz (1 – 10 April 1943)
Summary of raiding history
Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[Note 1] | Fate[4] |
---|---|---|---|---|
4 April 1942 | Ensis | United Kingdom | 6,207 | Damaged |
16 April 1942 | Desert Light | Panama | 2,368 | Sunk |
20 April 1942 | Empire Dryden | United Kingdom | 7,164 | Sunk |
7 August 1942 | Delfshaven | Netherlands | 5,281 | Sunk |
22 June 1943 | Lot | Free French Naval Forces | 4,220 | Sunk |
14 July 1943 | Harvard | United Kingdom | 114 | Sunk |
15 July 1943 | Gilbert B. Walters | United Kingdom | 176 | Sunk |
References
Notes
- gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.
Citations
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-572". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
- ^ "Uboat.net - Heinz Hirsacker". www.uboat.net. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
- ^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-572". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 February 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). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
- Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
- Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Earl Shilton: Midland Counties. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-572". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
11°35′N 54°05′W / 11.583°N 54.083°W