U-537

Type

IXC/40

Ordered

10 Apr, 1941

Laid down

10 Apr, 1942

Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg (werk 355)

Launched

7 Nov, 1942

Commissioned

27 Jan, 1943

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Commanders

27 Jan, 1943 - 9 Nov, 1944

Kptlt. Peter Schrewe

Career

3 patrols

27 Jan, 1943 - 31 Jul, 1943  4. Flottille (training)
1 Aug, 1943 - 30 Sep, 1944  10. Flottille (front boat)
1 Oct, 1944 - 9 Nov, 1944  33. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

No ships sunk or damaged

Fate

Sunk 9 Nov, 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya, in position 07.13S, 115.17E, by torpedoes from the US submarine USS Flounder. 58 dead (all hands lost).

View the 3 war patrols

Attacks on this boat

31 Oct, 1943
A Canadian Hudson aircraft (Sqdn 11) attacked the boat with 8 rockets that missed their mark. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

10 Nov, 1943
A Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 5) attacked the boat with 4 depth charges off Cape Race. The boat escaped unharmed. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

11 Nov, 1943
A Canadian Catalina aircraft (Sqdn 5) dropped 4 depth chages which slightly damaged the boat. Surface ships brought up to hunt her failed to locate the boat and she safely reached port on December 8. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 459)

5 Mar, 1944
While outbound from France the boat was attacked by an unknown Allied aircraft and damaged to badly she had to abort her patrol and put into France again on March 6. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 538)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-537 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.