U-594

Type

VIIC

Ordered

16 Jan, 1940

Laid down

17 Dec, 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 570)

Launched

3 Sep, 1941

Commissioned

30 Oct, 1941

Kptlt. Dietrich Hoffmann

Commanders

30 Oct, 1941 - 26 Jul, 1942	Dietrich Hoffmann
25 Jul, 1942 - 4 Jun, 1943	Kptlt. Friedrich Mumm

Career

5 patrols

30 Oct, 1941 - 28 Feb, 1942 8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar, 1942 - 4 Jun, 1943 7. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

2 ships sunk for a total of 14.390 GRT

Fate

Sunk 4 June, 1943 west of Gibraltar, in position 35.55N, 09.25W, by rockets from a British Hudson aircraft (48 Sqdn.). 50 dead (all hands lost).

See the 2 ships hit by U-594 - View the 5 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-594 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Blücher (12 Aug, 1942 - 20 Aug, 1942)
   Stier (2 Sep, 1942 - 14 Sep, 1942)
   Jaguar (12 Jan, 1943 - 23 Jan, 1943)
   Pfeil (2 Feb, 1943 - 9 Feb, 1943)
   Lowenherz (3 Apr, 1943 - 7 Apr, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

6 Apr, 1943
The U-boat was attacked by a British Liberator aircraft of 120. Squadron (F/O J.K. Moffat) southwest of Iceland. The damages forced U-594 to return to base. (Sources: Kenneth Wynn)

24 May, 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:British Sunderland (Sqdn 228/L)

The entire aircrew was lost

27 May, 1943
At 21.50 hours, the boat was attacked by a British Liberator aircraft (224 Sqdn RAF/T, pilot F/S J.S. Edwards) near convoy SL-129. The aircraft (misidentified as Lancaster) had to abort a first attack as the depth charges failed to release. AA fire damaged the aircraft slightly at the inner port engine and the nose. U-594 then crash-dived after six depth charges overshot astern in a second attack. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

28 May, 1943
At 15.30 hours, the boat was attacked by a British Halifax aircraft (502 Sqdn RAF/H, pilot F/O A.J. Davey) in the North Atlantic. They first exchanged gunfire, both claiming hits but not hitting each other. U-594 then managed to crash-dive before the aircraft (misidentified as Lancaster) reached a position to attack, so only a 600lb A/S bomb was dropped in the swirl without result. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

4 recorded attacks on this boat.