German submarine U-537

	U-537 in Martin Bay, Labrador
History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-537
Ordered	10 April 1941
Builder	Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg-Finkenwerder
Yard number	355
Laid down	10 April 1942
Launched	7 November 1942
Commissioned	27 January 1943
Fate	Sunk in the Java sea by USS Flounder on 10 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced; 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged;
Length	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a; 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a; 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels); 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced; 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged;
Range	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft)
Complement	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern); 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes; 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) SK C/32 deck gun (180 rounds); 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 AA gun; 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns;
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla; 27 January – 31 July 1943; 10th U-boat Flotilla; 1 August 1943 – 30 September 1944; 33rd U-boat Flotilla; 1 October – 9 November 1944;
Identification codes:	M 49 804
Commanders:	Kptlt. Peter Schrewe; 27 January 1943 – 9 November 1944;
Operations:	3 patrols:; 1st patrol:; a. 18 – 23 September 1943; b. 30 September – 8 December 1943; 2nd patrol:; a. 25 March – 2 August 1944; b. 1 October 1944; 3rd patrol:; 9 – 10 November 1944;
Victories:	None

German submarine U-537 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 10 April 1942 by Deutsche Werft in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 27 January 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Peter Schrewe in command. Schrewe commanded the boat for nearly two years, until her loss.

U-537 conducted three patrols and holds the distinction of making the only armed German landing in North America during World War II, when her crew installed the automatic Weather Station Kurt in Martin Bay, Labrador on 22 October 1943. She was then sent to the Far East. On 10 November 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya, U-537 was sunk with all hands—58 officers and men—by torpedoes from USS Flounder (SS-251).

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