German submarine U-539 facts for kids
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|} The German submarine U-539 was a special type of submarine called a Type IXC/40 U-boat. It was part of Nazi Germany's navy, known as the Kriegsmarine, during World War II.
This submarine was built in Hamburg and started construction on 8 May 1942. It was launched into the water on 4 December 1942 and officially joined the navy on 24 February 1943. Its first commander was Hans-Jürgen Lauterbach-Emden.
After some training in the Baltic Sea, U-539 began its active service on 1 July 1943. It went on three war patrols, where it successfully sank one ship and damaged two others. The submarine surrendered to Allied forces on 9 May 1945. Later, on 4 December 1945, while being moved to be sunk as part of "Operation Deadlight", it went down in the sea.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 Nazi Germany |
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| Name | U-539 |
| Ordered | 5 June 1941 |
| Builder | Deutsche Werft, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 360 |
| Laid down | 8 May 1942 |
| Launched | 4 December 1942 |
| Commissioned | 24 February 1943 |
| Fate |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type IXC/40 submarine |
| Displacement |
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| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range |
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| Test depth | 230 m (750 ft) |
| Complement | 4 officers, 44 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Commanders: |
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| Operations: |
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| Victories: |
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- First Patrol: North Atlantic Adventures
- Second Patrol: Testing New Tech
- Third Patrol: Caribbean Action
Building a U-boat: U-539's Design
The U-539 was a Type IXC/40 submarine. These were a bit bigger than earlier Type IXC submarines. When on the surface, U-539 weighed about 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons), which is like weighing 11 large blue whales! When it was underwater, it weighed 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons).
This submarine was 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) long, which is longer than two basketball courts. Its main strong outer shell, called the pressure hull, was 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) long. The widest part of the submarine was 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) across. It stood 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) tall and sat 4.67 m (15 ft 4 in) deep in the water.
How U-539 Moved and Fought
The U-539 used two powerful diesel engines when on the surface, giving it a top speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) (about 34 kilometers per hour). Underwater, it used two electric motors and could go up to 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) (about 13.5 kilometers per hour).
It could travel a very long distance on the surface, about 13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) (over 25,000 kilometers) at a slower speed. Underwater, it could go for 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) (about 117 kilometers) before needing to surface. The submarine could dive deep, up to 230 metres (750 ft) (about 755 feet) below the surface.
To fight, U-539 had six torpedo tubes (four at the front and two at the back) and carried 22 torpedoes. It also had a large deck gun on top, plus smaller anti-aircraft guns to defend against planes. A total of 48 crew members worked on board.
U-539s War Journeys
U-539 went on three main patrols during the war. These were long and dangerous trips across the ocean.
First Patrol: North Atlantic Adventures
U-539 started its first war patrol on 14 September 1943. It sailed into the cold North Atlantic, between Iceland and Greenland. During this patrol, it didn't sink any ships.
The submarine was attacked by Allied aircraft three times.
- On 21 September, a British bomber tried to hit it, but U-539 dove deep and escaped.
- On 4 October, a British B-24 Liberator bomber attacked while protecting a group of ships. The U-boat fought back with its anti-aircraft guns, hitting the plane and causing it to crash. All eight crew members on the plane died. The bombs from the plane caused only minor damage to the submarine.
- On 8 October, another Liberator bomber attacked, causing more serious damage to U-539.
After 40 days at sea, the U-boat arrived in Lorient, France, on 23 October 1943.
Second Patrol: Testing New Tech
U-539 left Lorient on 2 January 1944 for its second patrol. This was special because it was the first U-boat to go on a combat mission with a new device called a Schnorchel. This device allowed the submarine to run its diesel engines and get fresh air while staying submerged, making it harder to detect.
The submarine crossed the Atlantic to the waters south of Newfoundland. However, it didn't find any targets to attack. It returned to Saint-Nazaire, France, on 21 March.
Third Patrol: Caribbean Action
The U-boat started its third and final war patrol from Saint-Nazaire on 1 May 1944. This time, it sailed all the way across the Atlantic to the warm Caribbean Sea.
- On 5 June, near Puerto Rico, U-539 fired torpedoes and sank a Danish ship named Pillory. This ship weighed 1,517 GRT and 25 of its 47 crew members were lost.
- On 11 June, it attacked a Dutch oil tanker called Casandra. U-539 hit it with torpedoes and then surfaced to use its deck gun. But the tanker fought back with its own machine guns, damaging the U-boat and forcing it to stop the attack.
- The next day, 12 June, an American patrol plane attacked U-539, but the submarine managed to get away again.
- On 4 July, U-539 attacked a large American oil tanker, Kittanning, near Cristóbal, Panama. It hit the tanker with three torpedoes, making a huge hole in its side. The crew of 74 left the ship, but the tanker didn't sink. Two Coast Guard ships arrived to rescue the crew and tow the damaged tanker to port.
U-539 returned to Flensburg, Germany, on 22 September. This patrol lasted 145 days, making it its longest journey.
The End of U-539's Journey
In April 1945, as World War II was ending, U-539 sailed to Horten Naval Base in Norway, then to Bergen. It arrived there just three days before Germany surrendered on 9 May 1945.
The U-boat was then moved from Norway to Scotland. On 4 December 1945, while being towed out to sea to be purposely sunk as part of "Operation Deadlight" (where many captured German submarines were scuttled), U-539 sank on its own before reaching the planned spot.
What U-539 Attacked
Here's a quick look at the ships U-539 attacked:
| Date | Ship Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) |
Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 June 1944 | Pillory |  Panama |
1,517 | Sunk |
| 11 June 1944 | Casandra |  Netherlands |
2,701 | Damaged |
| 4 July 1944 | Kittanning |  United States |
10,195 | Damaged |
