German submarine U-543

German submarine U-543 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 364 on 3 July 1942, launched on 3 February and commissioned on 21 April with Kapitänleutnant Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel in command.

U-543 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 21 April 1943. She was reassigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 November.

She carried out two patrols, but did not sink any ships. She was a member of three wolfpacks.

She was sunk on 2 July 1944 southwest of Tenerife by a Grumman TBM Avenger piloted by Ensign Frederick L. Moore, which flew off of American escort carrier USS Wake Island.

Design
German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. U-543 had a displacement of 1144 t when at the surface and 1257 t while submerged. The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m, a pressure hull length of 58.75 m, a beam of 6.86 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.67 m. The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4400 PS for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1000 shp for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 13850 nmi at 10 kn. U-543 was fitted with six 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.

First patrol
The boat departed Kiel on 9 November 1943, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and into the Atlantic Ocean. She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 24 January 1944.

Second patrol and loss
Her second foray took her west of Portugal where she found a small convoy on 9 April 1944, but she was driven off by depth charges from the escorts.

After refuelling from GS U-488, the boat was attacked on 19 April by a TBM Avenger with rockets and a FIDO homing torpedo. The aircraft had come from the USS Tripoli (CVE-64). The submarine escaped undamaged and sailed to the west coast of Africa, then across the central Atlantic to the waters off Brazil.

She was sunk on 2 July 1944 on the return leg west of Portugal by an Avenger, this time from USS Wake Island (CVE-65). The same mix of rockets and a FIDO were used, but were successful.

Fifty-eight men died; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks
U-543 took part in three wolfpacks, namely:
 * Coronel (4 – 8 December 1943)
 * Coronel 2 (8 – 14 December 1943)
 * Coronel 3 (14 – 17 December 1943)