German submarine U-522

German submarine U-522 was a Type IXC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II.

U-505, a typical Type IXC boat
History
Nazi Germany
Name: U-522
Ordered: 14 February 1940
Builder: Deutsche Werft, Hamburg
Yard number: 337
Laid down: 9 July 1941
Launched: 1 April 1942
Commissioned: 11 June 1942
Fate: Sunk, February 1943 in mid-Atlantic west of Madeira by HMS Totland.[1]
General characteristics
Class and type: Type IXC submarine
Displacement:
  • 1,120 t (1,100 long tons) surfaced
  • 1,232 t (1,213 long tons) submerged
Length:
  • 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a
  • 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:
  • 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in) o/a
  • 4.40 m (14 ft 5 in) pressure hull
Height: 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught: 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in)
Installed power:
  • 4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels)
  • 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced
  • 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:
  • 13,450 nmi (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced
  • 64 nmi (119 km; 74 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth: 230 m (750 ft)
Complement: 4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:
Service record
Part of:
Commanders:
  • Kptlt. Herbert Schneider
  • 11 June 1942 – 23 February 1943
Operations:
  • 1st patrol:
  • 8 October – 2 December 1942
  • 2nd patrol:
  • 31 December 1942 – 23 February 1943
Victories:
  • Seven ships sunk, total 45,826 GRT
  • two ships damaged, total 12,479 GRT

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as yard number 337 on 9 July 1941, launched on 1 April 1942 and commissioned on 11 June with Kapitänleutnant Herbert Schneider in command.

U-522 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 11 June 1942. She was reassigned to the 2nd flotilla for operations on 1 October 1942.

She carried out two patrols and sank seven ships. She damaged two more. She was sunk in February 1943 in mid-Atlantic west of Madeira by a British warship.[1]

Design

German Type IXC submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXBs. U-522 had a displacement of 1,120 tonnes (1,100 long tons) when at the surface and 1,232 tonnes (1,213 long tons) while submerged.[2] The U-boat had a total length of 76.76 m (251 ft 10 in), a pressure hull length of 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in), a beam of 6.76 m (22 ft 2 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in). The submarine was powered by two MAN M 9 V 40/46 supercharged four-stroke, nine-cylinder diesel engines producing a total of 4,400 metric horsepower (3,240 kW; 4,340 shp) for use while surfaced, two Siemens-Schuckert 2 GU 345/34 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 1,000 shaft horsepower (1,010 PS; 750 kW) for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.92 m (6 ft) propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 metres (750 ft).[2]

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) and a maximum submerged speed of 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph).[2] When submerged, the boat could operate for 63 nautical miles (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph); when surfaced, she could travel 13,450 nautical miles (24,910 km; 15,480 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph). U-522 was fitted with six 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 torpedoes, one 10.5 cm (4.13 in) SK C/32 naval gun, 180 rounds, and a 3.7 cm (1.5 in) SK C/30 as well as a 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of forty-eight.[2]

Service history

1st patrol

The boat departed Kiel on 8 October 1942, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the gap between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

She opened her account when she damaged the Hartington about 450 nautical miles (830 km; 520 mi) east of Belle Isle (off the main island of Newfoundland) on 2 November 1942. The abandoned Hartington was sunk later that same day by U-521.

U-522 sank the Martima 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) northeast of St. Johns on the same day as the attack on the Hartington and went on to sink the Parthenonn.

She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 2 December 1942.

2nd patrol and loss

U-522's second foray took her to the mid-Atlantic once again. She sank the Norvik 500 nautical miles (930 km; 580 mi) west of Teneriffe on 9 January 1943. Two days later, she damaged the British Dominion "northeast of the Canary Islands".

She was sunk west of Madeira on 23 February 1943 by depth charges dropped by the sloop (ex-US Coast Guard Cutter) HMS Totland.

Fifty-one men died; there were no survivors.[1][3]

Wolfpacks

U-522 took part in a wolfpack, namely,

Summary of raiding history
Date Ship Name Nationality Displacement Fate[4]
2 November 1942 Hartington  United Kingdom 5,496 Damaged
2 November 1942 Martima  United Kingdom 5,801 Sunk
2 November 1942 Mount Pelion  Greece 5,655 Sunk
2 November 1942 Parthenonn  Greece 3,189 Sunk
18 November 1942 Yaka  United States 5,432 Sunk
9 January 1943 Minister Wedel  Norway 6,833 Sunk
9 January 1943 Norvik  Panama 10,034 Sunk
11 January 1943 British Dominion  United Kingdom 6,983 Damaged
23 February 1943 Athelprincess  United Kingdom 8,882 Sunk
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References
  1. Kemp 1997, p. 105.
  2. Gröner 1991, p. 68.
  3. Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IXC boat U-522". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  4. Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-522". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

Bibliography
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary. Translated by Brooks, Geoffrey. London, Annapolis, Md: Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-186-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (1999). Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945]. Der U-Boot-Krieg (in German). IV. Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn: Mittler. ISBN 3-8132-0514-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gröner, Erich; Jung, Dieter; Maass, Martin (1991). U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels. German Warships 1815–1945. 2. Translated by Thomas, Keith; Magowan, Rachel. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-593-4.
  • Kemp, Paul (1997). U-Boats Destroyed - German Submarine Losses in the World Wars. Arms & Armour. ISBN 1-85409-515-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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