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 .
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
Part of:	6th U-boat Flotilla 4 September 1941 – 1 January 1942 - Training 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 January – 30 June 1942 11th U-boat Flotilla 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943 13th U-boat Flotilla 1 June 1942 – 30 September 1943 6th U-boat Flotilla 1 October 1943 – 29 February 1944 29th U-boat Flotilla 1 March – 5 July 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Dietrich von der Esch 4 September 1941 – 30 September 1943 Oblt.z.S. Hans Götze 1 October 1943 – 5 July 1944
Operations:	1st patrol: 12 January – 12 February 1942 2nd patrol: 14–22 March 1942 3rd patrol: 10 May – 1 June 1942 4th patrol: 25 July – 16 August 1942 5th patrol: 11–12 October 1942 6th patrol: 18 November – 1 December 1942 7th patrol: 2–13 March 1943 8th patrol: 29 March – 2 May 1943 9th patrol: 5 June – 10 July 1943 10th patrol: 21–31 July 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. 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).

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). 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 an anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

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 flotilla on 1 July 1942 and then to the 13th flotilla on 1 June 1943. She returned to the 6th Flotilla a short while later on 1 October 1943, and then to her final assignment with 29th 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.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
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

See also

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)