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		Kptlt. Dietrich Hoffmann
25 Jul 1942	-	5 Jun 1943		Kptlt. Friedrich Mumm

Career
6 patrols

30 Oct 1941	-	28 Feb 1942	8. Flottille (training)
1 Mar 1942	-	5 Jun 1943	7. Flottille (active service)

Successes

2 ships sunk, total tonnage 14,390 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 5 June 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Gibraltar, in position 36.02N, 10.28W, by depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft (48 Sqn RAF/M). 50 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé & Eric Zimmerman, December 2012).

Loss position

See the 2 ships hit by U-594 - View the 6 war patrols

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 4 June 1943 in the North Atlantic west of Gibraltar, in position 35.55N, 09.25W, by rockets from a British Hudson aircraft (48 Sqdn.).

Wolfpack operations

U-594 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Blücher (14 Aug 1942 - 28 Aug 1942)
   Stier (29 Aug 1942 - 2 Sep 1942)
   Vorwärts (2 Sep 1942 - 17 Sep 1942)
   Jaguar (10 Jan 1943 - 31 Jan 1943)
   Pfeil (1 Feb 1943 - 9 Feb 1943)
   Löwenherz (1 Apr 1943 - 10 Apr 1943)

Attacks on this boat and other events

6 Aug 1942
17.41 hrs, Bay of Biscay: A British Whitley bomber (502 Sqn RAF/V) dropped six depth charges. No damage.

6 Apr 1943
Severe damage from four depth charges dropped by a British B-24 Liberator bomber (120 Sqn RAF/E, pilot F/O J.K. Moffat) SW of Iceland forced U-594 to return to base. (Sources: Kenneth Wynn)

27 May 1943
21.50 hrs, vicinity of convoy SL 129: the boat was attacked by a British B-24 Liberator bomber (224 Sqn RAF/T, pilot F/S J.S. Edwards). The aircraft (misidentified as a Lancaster) had to abandon its first attack as the depth charges failed to release. Flak damaged the the inner port engine and nose. U-594 dived and escaped unscathed after six depth charges overshot astern in a second attack. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

28 May 1943
15.30 hrs, Atlantic, W of Biscay, outbound: A British Halifax aircraft (502 Sqn RAF/H, pilot F/O A.J. Davey) located U-594 and exchanged gunfire: both claimed hits, but none were scored. U-594 then dived before the aircraft (misidentified as a Lancaster) could get into position for a bomb run, and the 600lb A/S bomb it subsequently dropped into the swirl exploded without result. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

4 Jun 1943
The boat was attacked with rockets by a British Hudson aircraft (48 Sqn RAF/F) west of Gibraltar. This attack was formerly credited with the destruction of U-594, but it must have escaped with unknown damage only to be sunk by another Hudson from the same Squadron the next day. (Sources: Axel Niestlé & Eric Zimmerman)

5 recorded attacks on this boat.