German submarine U-586

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-586
Ordered	8 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	562
Laid down	1 October 1940
Launched	10 July 1941
Commissioned	4 September 1941
Fate	Sunk in port near Toulon, France. She was bombed by USAAF B-24 Liberators (15th Air Force) on 5 July 1944 at position 43°07′N 05°55′E / 43.117°N 5.917°E.
General characteristics
Class and 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); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla; 4 September 1941 – 30 June 1942; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943; 13th U-boat Flotilla; 1 June – 30 September 1943; 6th U-boat Flotilla; 1 October 1943 – 29 February 1944; 29th U-boat Flotilla; 1 March – 5 July 1944;
Identification codes:	M 05 723
Commanders:	Kptlt. Dietrich von der Esch; 4 September 1941 – 30 September 1943; Oblt.z.S. Hans Götze; 1 October 1943 – 5 July 1944;
Operations:	13 patrols:; 1st patrol:; a. 12 January – 12 February 1942; b. 16 – 19 February 1942; 2nd patrol:; 14 – 22 March 1942; 3rd patrol:; a. 10 May – 1 June 1942; b. 4 – 6 June 1942; 4th patrol:; a. 25 July – 16 August 1942; b. 27 – 31 August 1942; c. 3 – 5 October 1942; 5th patrol:; a. 11 – 12 October 1942; b. 13 October – 5 November 1942; 6th patrol:; a. 18 November – 1 December 1942; b. 6 – 10 December 1942; c. 11 December 1942 ; d. 7 – 8 February 1943; e. 25 February – 1 March 1943; 7th patrol:; a. 2 – 13 March 1943; b. 15 – 16 March 1943 ; 8th patrol:; a. 29 March – 2 May 1943; b. 27 – 31 May 1943; 9th patrol:; a. 5 June – 10 July 1943; b. 18 – 19 July 1943 ; 10th patrol:; a. 21 – 31 July 1943; b. 3 – 4 August 1943; b. 6 – 7 August 1943; 11th patrol:; 19 October – 3 December 1943; 12th patrol:; 29 January – 22 February 1944; 13th patrol:; 9 May – 21 June 1944;
Victories:	2 merchant ships sunk ; (12,716 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (9,057 GRT);

German submarine U-586 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 562, launched on 10 July 1941 and commissioned on 4 September 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Dietrich von der Esch.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-586 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-586 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 4 September 1941 with training as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1942 and then to the 13th U-boat Flotilla on 1 June 1943. She returned to the 6th U-boat Flotilla a short while later on 1 October 1943, and then to her final assignment with 29th U-boat Flotilla in the Mediterranean.

In 13 patrols she sank two merchant ships for a total of 12,716 gross register tons (GRT), plus one merchant ship damaged.

Wolfpacks

She took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:

Robbe (15 – 24 January 1942)
Greif (14 – 29 May 1942)
Nebelkönig (27 July – 14 August 1942)
Boreas (19 – 26 November 1942)
Taifun (2 – 4 April 1943)
Jahn (31 October – 2 November 1943)
Tirpitz 3 (2 – 8 November 1943)
Eisenhart 5 (9 – 15 November 1943)
Schill 2 (17 – 22 November 1943)
Weddigen (22 – 25 November 1943)

Fate

She was sunk whilst alongside at Missiessy East Quay, Toulon, France, by a USAAF air raid by B-24 Liberator bombers of 15th Air Force on 5 July 1944.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate^[3]
9 February 1942	Anna Knudsen	Norway	9,057	Damaged
2 November 1942	Empire Gilbert	United Kingdom	6,640	Sunk
9 March 1943	Puerto Rican	United States	6,076	Sunk

References

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-586". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-586". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 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). 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.