List of all U-boats

U-575

Type

VIIC

 
Ordered8 Jan 1940
Laid down1 Aug 1940 Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 551)
Launched30 Apr 1941
Commissioned19 Jun 1941Kptlt. Günther Heydemann (Oak Leaves)
Commanders
19 Jun 1941 - 29 Jul 1943  Kptlt. Günther Heydemann (Knights Cross)
12 Sep 1943 - 13 Mar 1944  Oblt. Wolfgang Boehmer
Career
10 patrols
19 Jun 1941-31 Aug 1941  7. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1941-13 Mar 1944  7. Flottille (active service)
Successes8 ships sunk, total tonnage 36,010 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,015 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 12,910 GRT
Fate

Sunk on 13 March 1944 in the North Atlantic north of the Azores, in position 46.18N, 27.34W, by depth charges and gunfire from the Canadian frigate HMCS Prince Rupert, the US destroyer USS Hobson, the US destroyer escort USS Haverfield, and by depth charges and rockets from a British Wellington (172 Sqn RAF/B), two British Fortress (206 Sqn RAF/R & 220 Sqn RAF/J) and an Avenger aircraft (VC-95 USN/T-3) of the US escort carrier USS Bogue. 18 dead and 37 survivors.

Loss position

See the 10 ships hit by U-575 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-575 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Brandenburg (15 Sep 1941 - 26 Sep 1941)
   Steuben (14 Nov 1941 - 2 Dec 1941)
   Endrass (12 Jun 1942 - 17 Jun 1942)
   Tiger (26 Sep 1942 - 27 Sep 1942)
   Luchs (27 Sep 1942 - 6 Oct 1942)
   Panther (6 Oct 1942 - 16 Oct 1942)
   Puma (16 Oct 1942 - 22 Oct 1942)
   Delphin (26 Dec 1942 - 14 Feb 1943)
   Amsel 1 (3 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)
   Elbe (7 May 1943 - 10 May 1943)
   Elbe 1 (10 May 1943 - 14 May 1943)
   Mosel (19 May 1943 - 24 May 1943)
   Siegfried (22 Oct 1943 - 27 Oct 1943)
   Siegfried 3 (27 Oct 1943 - 30 Oct 1943)
   Jahn (30 Oct 1943 - 2 Nov 1943)
   Tirpitz 3 (2 Nov 1943 - 8 Nov 1943)
   Eisenhart 4 (9 Nov 1943 - 15 Nov 1943)
   Preussen (2 Mar 1944 - 13 Mar 1944)

Attacks on this boat and other events

7 Oct 1941
Two bombs from an aircraft in mid Atlantic caused minor damage.

9 Dec 1941
While inbound to refuel at Vigo, Spain the boat was located and depth charged. On arriving at Vigo two days later the damage was found to be so severe that the boat returned to France instead of proceeding to the Mediterranean. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 402)

21 Nov 1943
At 07.40 hrs the boat was approached by a Leigh Light Liberator and opened fire with the AA guns. The aircraft withdrew without dropping bombs and U-575 dived unscathed. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

10 Mar 1944
After sinking HMS Asphodel (K 56) the boat was hunted by escorts from combined convoy MKS 41/SL 150 for 18 hours, but managed to escape. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 504)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

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.

Men lost from the boat

25 Jan 1942
During bad weather in the North Atlantic a lookout on U-575 broke his arm.

5 Oct 1942
A man was lost overboard. [Oberbootsmaat Herbert Bühler]

  Related: For more info on such losses see - Men lost from U-boats -

U-boat Emblems

We have 3 emblem entries for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.


Man with Ladder

Pirate Flag

The Ship City of Flint

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


German U-Boat Losses During World War II

Niestle, Axel


Hitler's U-boat War, Vol II

Blair, Clay


U-Boat Operations of the Second World War - Vol 2

Wynn, Kenneth


Hitler's U-boat War

Blair, Clay




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