German submarine U-580

German submarine U-580 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out no patrols and sank no ships.

She was sunk after a collision in the Baltic Sea on 11 November 1941.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-580 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-580 was fitted with five 53.3 cm torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
The submarine was laid down on 31 August 1940 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 556, launched on 28 May 1941 and commissioned on 24 July under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Hans-Günther Kuhlmann.

She served with the 5th U-boat Flotilla from 24 July 1941.

Fate
U-580 was sunk after a collision with the target ship Angelburg in the Baltic Sea on 11 November 1941.

Twelve men died and there were 32 survivors. Obermaat Walter Sagawe saved three sailors, but he sank with U-580. We have this Information in a Letter from Kommandant Kuhlmann.

U-580 was found in the Baltic Sea near Lithuanian port city of Klaipėda on 1 July 2013 by a Lithuanian diving team.