List of all U-boats

U-578

Type

VIIC

Ordered

8 Jan 1940

Laid down

1 Aug 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 554)

Launched

15 May 1941

Commissioned

10 Jul 1941

Korvkpt. Ernst-August Rehwinkel

Commanders

10 Jul 1941

6 Aug 1942

FrgKpt. Ernst-August Rehwinkel

Career
5 patrols

10 Jul 1941	-	31 Aug 1941	5. Flottille (training)
1 Sep 1941	-	1 Oct 1941	7. Flottille (training)
1 Oct 1941	-	6 Aug 1942	7. Flottille (active service)

Successes

4 ships sunk, total tonnage 23,635 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,090 tons

Fate

Missing since 6 August 1942 in the Bay of Biscay. No explanation exists for its loss. 49 dead (all hands lost). (Axel Niestlé, November 1995).

Loss position

See the 5 ships hit by U-578 - View the 5 war patrols

U-578 left St. Nazaire for a patrol in the North Atlantic on 6 August 1942 and was posted missing on 11 August after failing to report its passage of the Bay of Biscay.

Previously recorded fate

Sunk 10 Aug, 1942 in the Bay of Biscay north of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.49N, 07.44W, by depth charges from a Czechoslovakian aircraft (Czech. Sqdn. 311/H). (Postwar assessment)
Notes. This attack was directed against the U-135 inflicting minor damage.

Wolfpack operations

U-578 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Schlei (16 Jan 1942 - 24 Jan 1942)
   Hecht (9 May 1942 - 11 May 1942)
   Pfadfinder (21 May 1942 - 27 May 1942)

Attacks on this boat and other events

25 Nov 1941
The boat was rammed by a Soviet escort in the Barents Sea, but suffered only slight damage.

1 recorded attack 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-578 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.