German submarine U-588

German submarine U-588 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She carried out four patrols, was a member of two wolfpacks, sank seven ships of and damaged two vessels of.

The boat was sunk by depth charges dropped by Canadian warships, east northeast of St.Johns on 31 July 1942.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-588 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-588 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 October 1940 at Blohm & Voss, Hamburg as yard number 564, launched on 23 July 1941 and commissioned on 18 September under the command of Kapitänleutnant Viktor Vogel.

She served with the 6th U-boat Flotilla from 18 September 1941 for training and stayed with that organization for operations until her loss, from 1 January until 31 July 1942.

First patrol
U-588's first patrol began when she left Kiel on 8 January 1942 and headed for the Atlantic Ocean via the gap separating the Faroe and Shetland Islands. She sank Caledonian Monarch on the 22nd, 30 nmi north northwest of Lewis. There was some confusion over the ships' fate; she was reported missing on the seventh, considered lost on the 14th, but it was not known if her loss was due to the weather or enemy action.

The U-boat arrived at Lorient in occupied France, on 30 January.

Second patrol
The boat's second foray took her toward the Canadian east coast, where she sank Caperby on 1 March 1942 about 520 nmi southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

She sank Gulftrade on 10 March, just 3 nmi off the Barnegat Light. The ship was loaded with 80,000 barrels of 'Bunker C' oil. She broke in two on the impact of the torpedo, but the resulting fire was quickly extinguished by the high seas.

Third patrol
Staying inshore, U-588 damaged Greylock on 9 May 1942 about 10 nmi from the Sambro Lightship, (itself off Halifax Harbour).

The next day, she sank Kitty's Brook 35 nmi southeast of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia.

A steady stream of successes followed; i.e. Skottland on 17 May, Plow City on the 22nd and Margot on the 23rd. As far as Plow City was concerned, one survivor was taken aboard the U-boat for questioning but returned with cigarettes and rum. The German submariners also helped to right one of the ship's lifeboats. U-588 also damaged Fort Binger on 18 May 1942.

Fourth patrol and loss
By now based at St Nazaire, which the submarine left on 19 July 1942, U-588 was sunk on the 31st by depth charges dropped by Canadian warships, the corvette HMCS Wetaskiwin (K175) and the destroyer HMCS Skeena (D59) east northeast of St. John's, Newfoundland.

Forty-nine men died with U-588; there were no survivors.

Wolfpacks
U-588 took part in two wolfpacks, namely:
 * Robbe (15 – 24 January 1942)
 * Pirat (29 – 31 July 1942)