U-596

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Jan, 1940

Laid down

4 Jan, 1941

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 572)

Launched

17 Sep, 1941

Commissioned

13 Nov, 1941

Kptlt. Gunter Jahn (Knights Cross)

Commanders

13 Nov, 1941 - 27 Jul, 1943	Kptlt. Gunter Jahn (Knights Cross)
28 Jul, 1943 - Jul, 1944	Victor-Wilhelm Nonn
Jul, 1944 - 8 Sep, 1944	Oblt. Hans Kolbus

Career

12 patrols

13 Nov, 1941 - 30 Jun, 1942  8. Flottille (training)
1 Jul, 1942 - 18 Nov, 1942  3. Flottille (front boat)
19 Nov, 1942 - 24 Sep, 1944  29. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

12 ships sunk for a total of 41.411 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 246 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 14.180 GRT

Fate

Scuttled on 24 Sept, 1944 in the Mediterranean in Skaramanga Bay, near Salamis in position 37.59N, 23.34E, after being damaged by US bombs. 1 dead, unknown number of survivors.

See the 15 ships hit by U-596 - View the 12 war patrols

Wreck blown up 30 Sept, 1944 (?).

Wolfpack operations

U-596 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
Lachs (15 Aug, 1942 - 27 Sep, 1942)
Delphin (10 Nov, 1942 - 13 Nov, 1942)

Attacks on this boat

30 Sep, 1942
On 30 September, 1942 U-596 was attacked by an aircraft in the North Atlantic and suffered severe damages. She managed to reach base at St. Nazaire on 3 October.

1 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

On 28 June, 1942 a battery explosion on U-596 forced the boat to return to base.

Schnorchel-fitted U-boat
This boat was fitted with a Schnorchel underwater-breathing apparatus but the date of fitting or sailing date with the equipment is unknown. Read more about the Schnorchel and see list of fitted boats.