U-576

Type

VIIC

Ordered

8 Jan 1940

Laid down

1 Aug 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 552)

Launched

30 Apr 1941

Commissioned

26 Jun 1941

Kptlt. Hans-Dieter Heinicke

Commanders

26 Jun 1941

15 Jul 1942

Kptlt. Hans-Dieter Heinicke

Career
5 patrols

26 Jun 1941	-	1 Sep 1941	7. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1941	-	15 Jul 1942	7. Flottille (active service)

Successes

4 ships sunk, total tonnage 15,450 GRT
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 19,457 GRT

Fate

Sunk on 15 July 1942 in the North Atlantic off Cape Hatteras, in position 34.51N, 75.22W, by depth charges from two US Kingfisher aircraft (VS-9 USN) and gunfire from the US motor merchant Unicoi. 45 dead (all hands lost).

Loss position

See the 6 ships hit by U-576 - View the 5 war patrols

General notes on this boat

The loss of U-576
On 15 July 1942 convoy KS 520, proceeding from Norfolk to Key West, Fla encountered U-576 off Cape Hatteras. The U-boat sank one ship and damaged two others before she was sunk by shells from the stern gun of the US motor merchant Unicoi (Master J. Muhle) and four depth charges from two OS2U Kingfisher aircraft (pilots Ens. Frank C. Lewis and Ens. Charles D. Webb) of VS-9 based at MCAS Cherry Point, NC, part of the Carrier Air Group 9 and on temporary inshore patrol duty with Eastern Sea Frontier. Many reference sources claim Unicoi rammed U-576, but this can not be confirmed from original reports.

21 Oct 2014. NOAA has reported that U-576 (Heinicke) has been discovered together with her last victim, the motor merchant Bluefields. The wrecks are less than 250 yards apart. U-576 has accordingly been added to our U-boats discovered since their loss page.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-576 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.