German submarine U-589

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-589 had a displacement of {{convert|769|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|871|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43–46}} She had a total length of {{convert|67.10|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a pressure hull length of {{convert|50.50|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a beam of {{convert|6.20|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a draught of {{convert|4.74|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of {{convert|2800 to 3200|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of {{convert|750|PS|kW shp}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.23|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43–46}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|17.7|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.6|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43–46}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|80|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|8500|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. U-589 was fitted with five {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm FlaK 30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|pp=43–46}}

The submarine was laid down on 31 October 1940 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 565, launched on 6 August 1941 and commissioned on 25 September under the command of Korvettenkapitän Hans-Joachim Horrer.

She served with the 6th U-boat Flotilla from 26 June 1941 for training and stayed with that organization for operations from 1 February 1942. She was reassigned to the 11th flotilla on 1 July.

U-589{{'}}s first patrol was preceded by a short trip from Kiel to the German-controlled island of Helgoland, (also known as Heligoland), in February 1942. The patrol itself commenced on the 28th. She steamed through the Norwegian Sea and arrived at Kirkenes in the far north of Norway on 21 March.

On her second patrol she fired four torpedoes at the minesweeper {{HMS|Niger|J73|6}} but the tracks were seen and evasive action was carried out. An unsuccessful depth charge attack followed which caused no damage to the U-boat.

She left Kirkenes on 8 April 1942 and covered the Barents Sea. She returned to her start point on the 20th.

U-589 damaged the Soviet merchant vessel Tsiolkovskij on 1 May 1942. This ship was later sunk by the German destroyers Z-24 and Z-25.

After more short voyages from Kirkenes to Skjomenfjord (south of Narvik), then Narvik itself and Bergen in May 1942, she carried out a relatively uneventful patrol which culminated in her arrival at Skjomenfjord on 12 August.

The boat set out for her sixth sortie on 23 August 1942. She travelled as far east as Nova ZemlyaThe Times Atlas of the World – Third edition, revised 1995, {{ISBN|0 7230 0809 4}}, p. 24 and returned to Narvik on 1 September.

U-589 set out from Narvik on 9 September 1942. On the 14th, she was sunk by depth charges, first from a Fairey Swordfish of 825 Naval Air Squadron from {{HMS|Avenger|D14|6}}, then the British destroyer {{HMS|Onslow|G17|6}}.

Forty-four men died with U-589; there were no survivors.

U-589 was sunk on 12 September 1942 by the joint force of HMS Avenger and {{HMS|Faulknor|H62|6}}.{{sfn|Smith|1968|pp=138–140}}

U-589 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:

• Aufnahme (9 – 11 March 1942)
• Blücher (11 – 18 March 1942)
• Eiswolf (28 – 31 March 1942)
• Bums (8 – 10 April 1942)
• Robbenschlag (10 – 14 April 1942)
• Blutrausch (15 – 19 April 1942)
• Strauchritter (29 April – 5 May 1942)
• Greif (16 – 22 May 1942)
• Nebelkönig (27 July – 11 August 1942)
• Trägertod (12 – 14 September 1942)

{{reflist}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
• {{cite book |last1=Busch |first1=Rainer |last2=Röll |first2=Hans-Joachim |title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945|trans-title=German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945 |date=1999|volume=IV |publisher=Mittler|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn |isbn=3-8132-0514-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vXKwAAAAIAAJ |language=de}}
• {{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Eric |last2=Jung |first2=Dieter |last3=Maass |first3=Martin |translator-last1=Thomas|translator-first1=Keith|translator-last2=Magowan|translator-first2=Rachel |title=German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels |date=1991 |publisher=Conway Maritime Press |location=London |volume=2 |isbn=0-85177-593-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Udg-0AEACAAJ|ref=CITEREFGröner1991}}
• {{cite book

|last=Kemp

|first=Paul

|title=U-Boats Destroyed – German Submarine Losses in the World Wars

|year=1997

|publisher=Arms & Armour

|isbn=1-85409-515-3

}}

• {{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Peter |title=Destroyer Leader: The Story of HMS Faulknor |publisher=William Kimber & Co. |year=1968 |location=London |language=English}}

{{Refend}}

• {{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u589.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-589

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

|website=German U-boats of WWII – uboat.net

|access-date=29 December 2014

}}

{{German Type VII submarines}}

{{September 1942 shipwrecks}}

{{coord missing|Norwegian Sea}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0589}}

Category:German Type VIIC submarines

Category:U-boats commissioned in 1941

Category:U-boats sunk in 1942

Category:U-boats sunk by depth charges

Category:U-boats sunk by British warships

Category:1941 ships

Category:Ships built in Hamburg

Category:Submarines lost with all hands

Category:World War II submarines of Germany

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Arctic Ocean

Category:Maritime incidents in September 1942