German submarine U-593

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-593 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 BBC 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-593 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}}

U-593 made 16 patrols between March 1942 and December 1943, and sank 13 ships, for a total of 38,290 GRT and 2,954 tons.

She made three patrols in the Atlantic from her base in Germany and from St Nazaire in occupied France, and sank three ships. She briefly clashed with British forces on their way to the St Nazaire Raid in March 1942. In October U-593 transferred to the Mediterranean and from various bases there made a further 13 patrols, sinking 8 merchant ships and 4 naval vessels, before being sunk in December 1943.[https://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u593.html U-593: war patrols] at uboat.net; retrieved 20 January 2021

U-593 departed Toulon on 1 December 1943 for her 16th war patrol. On 12 December she intercepted convoy KMS 34, outbound from Gibraltar, off the coast of Algeria. Making an attack she hit the escorting destroyer {{HMS|Tynedale|L96|2}}, but was pursued by other escorts who engaged in a Swamp operation. During the 32 hour hunt U-593 torpedoed {{HMS|Holcombe|L56|2}}, one of her pursuers, but was caught by the destroyers {{USS|Wainwright|DD-419|2}} and {{HMS|Calpe|L71|2}} off Bougie, Algeria. In the afternoon of 13 December she was forced to the surface with depth charges and abandoned. All her crew escaped, and were picked up by the Allied ships.Blair p.457Kemp p.161Niestle p.73The position of her sinking is given variously as {{coord|37|58|N|05|58|E|scale:20000000}} (Kemp) and {{coord|37|38|N|05|58|E|scale:20000000}} (Niestle)

In addition she took part in three wolfpacks, namely:

• Steinbrinck (3 – 11 August 1942)
• Lohs (11 – 17 August 1942)
• Tümmler (3 – 11 October 1942)

• Mediterranean U-boat Campaign (World War II)

{{Reflist|group=Note}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last1=Blair |first1=Clay |title=Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942-1945|year=1998 |isbn=0-304-35261-6|author-link=Clay Blair}}
• {{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=Edwards

|first=Bernard

|title=Dönitz and the Wolf Packs – The U-Boats at War

|publisher=Cassell Military Classics

|year=1996

|location=London, UK

|pages=89, 91–93

|isbn=0-304-35203-9}}

• {{Cite book |last=Kemp |first=Paul |title=U-Boats Destroyed, German submarine losses in the World Wars |publisher=Arms and Armour |year=1997 |isbn=1-85409-515-3 }}
• {{cite book |title=German U-Boat Losses During World War II |first=Axel |last=Niestle |publisher=Greenhill |date=1998 |isbn=1-85367-352-8}}

{{Refend}}

• {{Cite web

|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u593.html

|title=The Type VIIC boat U-593

|last=Helgason

|first=Guðmundur

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

|access-date=29 December 2014

}}

• {{cite web

|url=http://www.u-boot-archiv.de/dieboote/u0593.php

|title=U 593

|last=Hofmann

|first=Markus

|website=Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de

|language=de

|access-date=29 December 2014

}}

{{German Type VII submarines}}

{{December 1943 shipwrecks}}

{{use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0593}}

Category:German Type VIIC submarines

Category:U-boats commissioned in 1941

Category:U-boats sunk in 1943

Category:World War II submarines of Germany

Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea

Category:1941 ships

Category:U-boats sunk by depth charges

Category:U-boats sunk by British warships

Category:U-boats sunk by US warships

Category:Ships built in Hamburg

Category:Maritime incidents in December 1943