German submarine U-584

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-584
Ordered	8 January 1940
Builder	Blohm & Voss, Hamburg
Yard number	560
Laid down	1 October 1940
Launched	26 June 1941
Commissioned	21 August 1941
Fate	Sunk on 31 October 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 49°14′N 31°55′W / 49.233°N 31.917°W, by depth charges from US Avenger aircraft.
General characteristics
Class and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 1 stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	5th U-boat Flotilla; 21 August – 30 November 1941; 1st U-boat Flotilla; 1 December 1941 – 31 October 1943;
Identification codes:	M 05 347
Commanders:	Kptlt. Joachim Deecke; 21 August 1941 – 20 December 1942; Kptlt. Kurt Nölke (acting); 20 December 1942 – 11 February 1943; Kptlt. Joachim Deecke; 12 February – 31 October 1943;
Operations:	10 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 27 November – 20 December 1941; 2nd patrol:; 25 December 1941 – 11 January 1942; 3rd patrol:; 23 January – 20 February 1942; 4th patrol:; a. 28 February – 14 March 1942; b. 29 – 30 April 1942; 5th patrol:; 5 – 16 May 1942; 6th patrol:; 25 May – 22 July 1942; 7th patrol:; 24 August – 10 October 1942; 8th patrol:; 30 December 1942 – 11 February 1943; 9th patrol:; 23 March – 24 May 1943; 10th patrol:; 2 September – 31 October 1943;
Victories:	3 merchant ships sunk ; (18,478 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (206 tons);

German submarine U-584 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 560, launched on 26 June 1941 and commissioned on 21 August 1941 under Kapitänleunant Joachim Deecke.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-584 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) when at the surface and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.^[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), a pressure hull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), a beam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).^[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).^[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-584 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.^[2]

Service history

The boat's career began with training at 5th U-boat Flotilla on 21 August 1941, followed by active service on 1 December 1941 as part of the 1st Flotilla for the remainder of her service.

In 10 patrols she sank three merchant ships, for a total of 18,478 gross register tons (GRT) and one warship of 206 tons.

US Saboteur Landing

On 25 May 1942, the boat departed Brest, France for a special mission as part of Operation Pastorius. On 18 June, she landed a 4-man saboteur team just south of Jacksonville, Florida. This was one of two teams landed within a week of each other on the US east coast; the other team came aboard U-202. The boat then returned safely to Brest on 22 July.

Wolfpacks

U-584 took part in 16 wolfpacks, namely:

Ulan (25 December 1941 – 10 January 1942)
Stier (29 August – 2 September 1942)
Vorwärts (2 – 26 September 1942)
Luchs (27 – 29 September 1942)
Letzte Ritter (29 September – 1 October 1942)
Falke (4 – 19 January 1943)
Landsknecht (19 – 28 January 1943)
Hartherz (3 – 7 February 1943)
Löwenherz (1 – 10 April 1943)
Lerche (10 – 15 April 1943)
Specht (21 April – 4 May 1943)
Fink (4 – 6 May 1943)
Elbe (7 – 10 May 1943)
Elbe 1 (10 – 14 May 1943)
Leuthen (15 – 24 September 1943)
Rossbach (24 September – 6 October 1943)

Fate

U-584 was sunk on 31 October 1943 in the North Atlantic in position 49°14′N 31°55′W / 49.233°N 31.917°W / 49.233; -31.917, by depth charges from US Avenger aircraft operating from escort carrier USS Card. All hands were lost.

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage^{[Note 1]}	Fate^[3]
10 January 1942	M-175	Soviet Navy	206	Sunk
11 September 1942	Empire Oil	United Kingdom	8,029	Sunk
11 September 1942	Hindanger	Norway	4,884	Sunk
5 May 1943	West Madaket	United States	5,565	Sunk

References

Notes

^ Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.

Citations

^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-584". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Gröner 1991, pp. 43–46.
^ Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-584". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 October 2014.

Bibliography

Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.
Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Vol. IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.
Edwards, Bernard (1996). Dönitz and the Wolf Packs - The U-boats at War. Cassell. pp. 105, 107, 108, 199, 219, 220. ISBN 0-304-35203-9.
Gröner, Eric; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). German Warships 1815-1945: U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. Vol. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
Sharpe, Peter (1998). U-Boat Fact File. Great Britain: Midland Publishing. ISBN 1-85780-072-9.

External links

Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type VIIC boat U-584". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
Hofmann, Markus. "U 584". Deutsche U-Boote 1935-1945 - u-boot-archiv.de (in German). Retrieved 29 December 2014.