U-581

Type

VIIC

Ordered

8 Jan, 1940

Laid down

25 Sep, 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 557)

Launched

12 Jun, 1941

Commissioned

31 Jul, 1941

Kptlt. Werner Pfeifer

Commanders

31 Jul, 1941 - 2 Feb, 1942

Kptlt. Werner Pfeifer

Career

2 patrols

31 Jul, 1941 - 30 Nov, 1941 5. Flottille (training)
1 Dec, 1941 - 2 Feb, 1942 7. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 364 GRT

Fate

Sunk 2 Feb, 1942 in the mid-Atlantic south-west of the Azores, in approximate position 39.00N, 30.00W, by depth charges from the British destroyer HMS Westcott. 4 dead and 41 survivors.

See the 1 ships hit by U-581 - View the 2 war patrols

General notes on this boat

On 2 Feb, 1942 the U-581 was sunk near the coast of Pico Island, in front of a place called Guidaste. One of the officers, Ltn. Walter Sitek, managed to swim 6 km to shore where he was picked up by the locals. He then managed to pass through neutral Spain and make his way to Germany again when he again went to sea on a U-boat.

Oblt. Walter Sitek commanded 3 boats (U-17, U-981 and U-3005) during the rest of the war and survived the fighting.

The rest of the crew, 37 men, were picked up by the British destroyer and taken to POW camp being finally released in 1947.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-581 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.