| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-568 |
| Ordered | 24 October 1939 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg |
| Yard number | 544 |
| Laid down | 27 April 1940 |
| Launched | 6 March 1941 |
| Commissioned | 1 May 1941 |
| Fate | Sunk on 28 May 1942 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIICsubmarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record[1] | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 42 161 |
| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: |
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German submarineU-568 was aType VIICU-boat built forNazi Germany'sKriegsmarine for service duringWorld War II. She conducted five patrols, sinking one merchant ship, two warships, and severely damaging another warship. On 28 May 1942, she wasdepth charged and sunk in theMediterranean Sea; all hands survived.
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the smallerType VIIB submarines.U-568 had a displacement of 769 tonnes (757 long tons) while surfaced and 871 tonnes (857 long tons) while submerged.[2] She had a total length of 67.10 m (220 ft 2 in), ahull length of 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in), abeam of 6.20 m (20 ft 4 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and adraught of 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in). The submarine was powered by twoGermaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylindersuperchargeddiesel engines producing a total of 2,800 to 3,200 metric horsepower (2,060 to 2,350 kW; 2,760 to 3,160 shp) for use while surfaced, twoBBC GG UB 720/8double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 metric horsepower (550 kW; 740 shp) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m (4 ft)propellers. The boat was designed to be capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nautical miles (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).U-568 was fitted with five 53.3 cm (21 in)torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteentorpedoes, one8.8 cm (3.46 in) SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had acomplement of between forty-four and sixty, and surrendered with 47 on board.[2]
U-568 was ordered on 24 October 1939 andlaid down six months later. It waslaunched on 6 March 1941. On 1 May 1941, it was commissioned; it started training the same day as part of3rd U-boat Flotilla.[1] The submarine completed training on 1 August 1941 and was placed under the command ofKapitänleutnant Joachim Preuss, who had already conducted five patrols withU-10.[3]
U-568 departedTrondheim on 3 August 1941 and was assigned to U-boatWolfpack Grönland in theNorth Atlantic Ocean, arriving there a week later.[4][5] On 12 August, the submarine attackedConvoy ON 4, firing two torpedoes at a "tanker"[a] and convoy escortFlower-classcorvettePicotee (925 tons).[6] The torpedo fired at the "tanker" went wide, but Preuss observed how the corvette "sinks immediately as herdepth charges detonate (five or six of them)".[6][1] All hands on boardPicobee werekilled in action. Other escorts stopped and held the U-boat down while the rest of the convoy escaped.[7] Afterwards,U-568 had short stints with Woflpacks Kurfürst (23 August – 2 September 1941[8]) andSeewolf (2 – 8 September 1941[9]), arriving at homeportSaint-Nazaire on 10 September 1941.[4]
U-568 embarked on her second patrol on 9 October 1941. On her way west into the Atlantic, she attackedConvoy SC 48 on 16 October 1941, sinking the steammerchant shipEmpire Heron (6,023 GRT) with two torpedoes and killing forty-two on board. The next day, she fired a spread of four torpedoes at theUnited States NavydestroyerKearny (1,630 tons) having been repeatedly depth-charged by her the previous night. One torpedo hit the shipstarboard, killing 11 sailors.[10][b] Sighted byHMCS Pictou,U-568 attempted to escape the escorts by sailing under cover of a rainsquall, but was pursued. The submarine attempted to sinkPictou with a torpedo, but it passed 15 ft (4.6 metres) toport and missed. Afterwards, the U-boat retreated.[1] TheKearny incident was cited byAdolf Hitler as being reasoning forNazi Germany declaring war against the United States, with Hitler presenting the action as starting with theKearny attackingU-568 with depth charges.[11]
Between 21 and 31 October 1941,U-568 was part of Wolfpack Reissewolf.[12] After her attack on Convoy SC 48, the remainder of her patrol was routine, and she arrived at Saint-Nazaire on 7 November 1941.[13]
She took part in fourwolfpacks, namely:
U-568 was sunk on 28 May 1942 in theMediterranean Sea NE ofTobruk in position32°42′N24°53′E / 32.700°N 24.883°E /32.700; 24.883, by Royal Navy vessels, the destroyerHMS Hero, and escort destroyersHMS Eridge andHMS Hurworth. All 47 hands survived.[14]
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage[c] | Fate[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 August 1941 | HMS Picotee |  Royal Navy | 925 | Sunk |
| 16 October 1941 | Empire Heron |  United Kingdom | 6,023 | Sunk |
| 17 October 1941 | USS Kearny |  United States Navy | 1,630 | Damaged |
| 24 December 1941 | HMS Salvia | Royal Navy | 925 | Sunk |
