U-1059

CountryGermany
Ship ClassType VII-class Submarine
BuilderFriedrich Krupp Germaniawerft
Yard Number693
Slip/Drydock NumberIII
Ordered25 Aug 1941
Laid Down4 Jun 1942
Launched12 Mar 1943
Commissioned1 May 1943
Sunk19 Mar 1944
Displacement1,084 tons standard; 1,181 tons submerged
Length255 feet
Beam24 feet
Draft16 feet
MachineryTwo Germaniawerft F46 supercharged four-stroke six-cylinder diesel engines rated at 2,800-3,200bhp, two AEG GU 460/8-276 double-acting electric motors rated at 740shp, 2 shafts, 2 propellers
Speed17 knots
Range14,700nm at 10 knots surfaced, 75nm at 4 knots submerged
Crew46
Armament4x53.3cm bow torpedo tubes, 1x53.3cm stern torpedo tubes, 14x torpedoes, 1x8.8cm SK C/35 gun, 1x3.7cm SK C/30 anti-aircraft gun, 2x2cm anti-aircraft guns
Submerged Speed7.9 knots
Cargo Capacity40 torpedoes

Contributor:

ww2dbaseGerman submarine U-1059 was commissioned into service in May 1943. Designed as a transport submarine, she was meant to be a supply ship for other submarines on the front lines. She initially served with 5th Submarine Flotilla for training, then served with 12th Submarine Flotilla starting on 1 Jan 1944. While transporting torpedoes to submarines of the Monsun Gruppe operating in the Indian Ocean and in the South Pacific, she was spotted by US Navy aircraft in the Atlantic Ocean about 960 kilometers or about 600 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. TBF Avenger and Grumman F4F Wildcat aircraft from USS Block Island attacked and sank her. About 20 of her 55 crew members survived the sinking, but due to at least one other German submarine present in the same area, destroyer USS Corry could not approach to rescue them. As the result, when USS Corry was finally able to approach the area, only 8 remained, including the commanding officer Oberleutnant zur See Günther Leupold.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Revision: Jun 2020

Submarine U-1059 Interactive Map

U-1059 Operational Timeline

25 Aug 1941 The order to build U-1059 was issued.
4 Jun 1942 The keel of U-1059 was laid down at the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
12 Mar 1943 U-1059 was launched by the Friedrich Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel, Germany.
1 May 1943 U-1059 was commissioned into service with Oberleutnant zur See Herbert Brüninghaus in command. She was assigned to 5th Submarine Flotilla for training.
1 Oct 1943 Oberleutnant zur See Günter Leupold was made the commanding officer of U-1059, replacing Herbert Brüninghaus.
1 Jan 1944 U-1059 was transferred to 12th Submarine Flotilla.
12 Feb 1944 U-1059 departed Europe with torpedoes and other supplies on board for German submarines operating in the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific.
19 Mar 1944 U-1059 was sunk by depth charges dropped by a US Navy Avenger aircraft (Lieutenant (jg) N. T. Dowty of VC-6 squadron, USS Block Island) in the Atlantic Ocean about 960 kilometers or about 600 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands at 0726 hours. Her gunners were able to hit the Avenger aircraft on its second attack run, killing the pilot and one of the crew.




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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Graham Clayton says:
28 Jun 2020 06:34:47 PM

How many supply U-Boats served with the Kriegsmarine during the war, and how many were sunk?

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