German submarine U-572

History
Nazi Germany
Name	U-572
Ordered	24 October 1939
Builder	Blohm & Voss of Hamburg
Yard number	548
Laid down	15 June 1940
Launched	5 April 1941
Commissioned	29 May 1941
Fate	Sunk on 3 August 1943 off Trinidad
General characteristics
Class & type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of	3rd U-boat Flotilla; 29 May 1941 – 3 August 1943;
Identification codes	M 42 493
Commanders	Kptlt. Heinz Hirsacker; 29 May 1941 – 18 December 1942; Oblt.z.S. Heinz Kummetat; 18 December 1942 – 3 August 1943;
Operations	9 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 2 September – 2 October 1941; 2nd patrol:; 30 October – 29 November 1941; 3rd patrol:; 7 January – 10 February 1942; 4th patrol:; 14 March – 14 May 1942; 5th patrol:; 30 June – 3 September 1942; 6th patrol:; 12 October – 22 November 1942; 7th patrol:; 23 December 1942 – 11 February 1943; 8th patrol:; 10 March – 18 April 1943; 9th patrol:; 2 June – 3 August 1943;
Victories	6 merchant ships sunk ; (19,323 GRT); 1 merchant ship damaged ; (6,207 GRT);

German submarine U-572 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. Her keel was laid down 15 June 1940 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg as yard number 548. She was launched on 5 April 1941 and commissioned on 29 May.