German submarine U-586

German submarine U-586 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 1 October 1940 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 562, launched on 10 July 1941 and commissioned on 4 September 1941 under Kapitänleutnant Dietrich von der Esch.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-586 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-586 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 boat's service began on 4 September 1941 with training as part of the 6th U-boat Flotilla. She was transferred to the 11th U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1942 and then to the 13th U-boat Flotilla on 1 June 1943. She returned to the 6th U-boat Flotilla a short while later on 1 October 1943, and then to her final assignment with 29th U-boat Flotilla in the Mediterranean.

In 13 patrols she sank two merchant ships for a total of, plus one merchant ship damaged.

Wolfpacks
She took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:
 * Robbe (15 – 24 January 1942)
 * Greif (14 – 29 May 1942)
 * Nebelkönig (27 July – 14 August 1942)
 * Boreas (19 – 26 November 1942)
 * Taifun (2 – 4 April 1943)
 * Jahn (31 October – 2 November 1943)
 * Tirpitz 3 (2 – 8 November 1943)
 * Eisenhart 5 (9 – 15 November 1943)
 * Schill 2 (17 – 22 November 1943)
 * Weddigen (22 – 25 November 1943)

Fate
She was sunk whilst alongside at Missiessy East Quay, Toulon, France, by a USAAF air raid by B-24 Liberator bombers of 15th Air Force on 5 July 1944.