List of all U-boats
U-591
Type | VIIC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ordered | 16 Jan 1940 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Laid down | 30 Oct 1940 | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 567) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Launched | 20 Aug 1941 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commissioned | 9 Oct 1941 | Oblt. Hans-Jürgen Zetsche | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Commanders |
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Career 8 patrols |
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Successes | 4 ships sunk, total tonnage 19,932 GRT 1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,701 GRT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fate |
Sunk on 30 July 1943 in the South Atlantic south-east of Recife, Brazil, in position 08.36S, 34.34W, by depth charges from a US Ventura aircraft (VB-127 USN/B-10). 19 dead and 28 survivors. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Loss position |
Wolfpack operations
U-591 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Schlei (21 Jan 1942 - 12 Feb 1942)
Bums (6 Apr 1942 - 10 Apr 1942)
Greif (14 May 1942 - 29 May 1942)
Nebelkönig (27 Jul 1942 - 13 Aug 1942)
Ungestüm (11 Dec 1942 - 30 Dec 1942)
Sturmbock (21 Feb 1943 - 26 Feb 1943)
Wildfang (26 Feb 1943 - 5 Mar 1943)
Westmark (6 Mar 1943 - 11 Mar 1943)
Seewolf (21 Mar 1943 - 30 Mar 1943)
Attacks on this boat and other events
15 May 1943
12.36 hrs, west of the Bay of Biscay: the boat was strafed and bombed by a British Whitley bomber (RAF Sqdn 10 OTU/M, pilot F/Sgt G.W. Brookes). The boat was not damaged, but the commander, Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche, and one of the crew were wounded by gunfire, forcing the boat to return to base. (Sources: Norman Franks)
23 Jul 1943
U-591 was twice attacked by an American B-24 Liberator off Cape de Sao Roque, Brazil, but each time escaped by diving. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 370)
2 recorded attacks on this boat.
Men lost from the boat
29 Jan 1942
A lookout broke his arm in rough seas west of Bantry Bay, Ireland.
15 May 1943
12.36 hrs, west of the Bay of Biscay: the boat was strafed and bombed by a British Whitley bomber (RAF Sqdn 10 OTU/M, pilot F/Sgt G.W. Brookes). The boat was not damaged, but the commander, Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche, and one of the crew were wounded by gunfire, forcing the boat to return to base.
Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -
U-boat Emblems
We have 4 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.
The Laughing Sawfish - 9th Flotilla |
The Polar Bear - 11th Flotilla |
White Eagle |
Arm and Sword |
Media links
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