German submarine U-591

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-591
Ordered	16 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	567
Laid down	30 October 1940
Launched	20 August 1941
Commissioned	9 October 1941
Fate	Sunk on 30 July 1943 in the South Atlantic near Pernambuco in position 08°36′S 34°34′W, by depth charges from a US Lockheed Ventura aircraft.
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; 9 October 1941 – 30 June 1942; 11th U-boat Flotilla; 1 July 1942 – 31 May 1943; 9th U-boat Flotilla; 1 June – 30 July 1943;
Identification codes:	M 37 230
Commanders:	Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche; 9 October 1941 – 8 September 1942; Oblt.z.S. Peter Schrewe; 9 September – 12 November 1942; Kptlt. Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche; 12 November 1942 – 17 May 1943; Lt.z.S. Joachim Sauerbier; 15 – 17 May 1943; Oblt.z.S. Reimar Ziesmer; 1 June – 30 July 1943;
Operations:	8 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 15 January – 20 February 1942; 2nd patrol:; 1 – 11 April 1942; 3rd patrol:; a. 10 May – 2 June 1942; b. 4 – 7 June 1942; 4th patrol:; a. 27 July – 14 August 1942; b. 22 – 24 August 1942; c. 27 August 1942; d. 28 – 29 August 1942; e. 8 – 9 September 1942; f. 11 – 12 September 1942; 5th patrol:; 1 December 1942 – 12 January 1943; 6th patrol:; 17 February – 7 April 1943; 7th patrol:; 12 – 17 May 1943; 8th patrol:; 26 June – 30 July 1943;
Victories:	4 merchant ships sunk ; (19,932 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (5,701 GRT);

German submarine U-591 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 30 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 567, launched on 20 August 1941 and commissioned on 9 October 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Hans-Jürgen Zetzsche.

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