View source for German submarine U-507

{{Short description|German World War II submarine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2014}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= U-505chicago.jpg
|Ship image size= 300px
|Ship caption=''U-505'', a typical Type IXC boat
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=[[Nazi Germany]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|Nazi Germany|naval}}
|Ship name=''U-507''
|Ship ordered=20 October 1939
|Ship builder=[[Deutsche Werft]], [[Hamburg]]
|Ship yard number=303
|Ship laid down=11 September 1940
|Ship launched=15 July 1941
|Ship commissioned=8 October 1941
|Ship homeport=
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship badge=[[File:U 507 (Kriegsmarine).jpg|150px]]
|Ship fate=Sunk by aircraft on 13 January 1943{{sfn|Kemp|1999|p=99}}
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|Type IXC]] [[submarine]]
|Ship displacement=
*{{convert|1120|t|LT|abbr=on|lk=on}} surfaced
*{{convert|1232|t|LT|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length=
*{{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[o/a]]
*{{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}} [[pressure hull]]
|Ship beam=
*{{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}} o/a
*{{convert|4.40|m|ftin|abbr=on}} pressure hull
|Ship height={{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught={{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
*{{convert|4400|PS|kW bhp|abbr=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|1000|PS|kW shp|-1|abbr=on}} (electric)
|Ship propulsion=
*2 shafts
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[Motor-generator|electric motors]]
|Ship speed=
*{{convert|18.2|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|7.7|kn}} submerged
|Ship range=
*{{convert|13,450|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|10|kn}} surfaced
*{{convert|64|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|4|kn}} submerged
|Ship test depth=
*{{convert|230|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=4 officers, 44 enlisted
|Ship armament=
*6 × [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 stern)
*22 × {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo]]es
*1 × [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/32]] [[deck gun]] (180 rounds)
*1 × [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] AA gun
*1 × twin [[2 cm FlaK 30]] AA guns
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox service record
|is_ship=yes
|label=Service record<ref name="uboatnet">{{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/u507.htm
|title=The Type IXC boat U-507
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=26 February 2010
}}</ref><ref name="patrols">{{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/u507.html
|title=War Patrols by German U-boat U-507
|last=Helgason
|first=Guðmundur
|website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
|access-date=26 February 2010
}}</ref>
|partof=
*[[4th U-boat Flotilla]]
*8 October 1941 – 28 February 1942
*[[2nd U-boat Flotilla]]
*1 March 1942 – 13 January 1943
|codes=M 19 192
|commanders=
*''[[K.Kapt.]]'' [[Harro Schacht]]
*8 October 1941 – 13 January 1943
|operations=*4 patrols:
*1st patrol:
*12 – 25 March 1942
*2nd patrol:
*4 April – 4 June 1942
*3rd patrol:
*4 July – 12 October 1942
*4th patrol:
*a. 24 – 26 November 1942 
*b. 28 November 1942 – 13 January 1943
|victories=
*19 merchant ships sunk <br/>({{GRT|77,143}})
*1 merchant ship damaged <br/>({{GRT|6,561}})
}}
|}

'''German submarine ''U-507''''' was a [[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|Type IXC]] [[U-boat]] of [[Nazi Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' built for service in the [[Second World War]] and the [[Battle of the Atlantic]]. She was mainly notable for two patrols she conducted during the "[[Second Happy Time]]" in mid-1942, during the first of which she caused havoc in the [[Gulf of Mexico]] amongst unprotected American shipping, and then in the second she attacked ships along the coast of Brazil, in an inexplicable and shocking attack on a neutral nation's shipping in its own waters which almost single-handedly provoked the [[Brazilian Expeditionary Force|Brazilian declaration of war on Germany]].

The U-boat was built during 1941 by the [[Deutsche Werft]] shipyards in [[Hamburg]], and [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 8 October 1941, with ''[[Korvettenkapitän]]'' [[Harro Schacht]] in command. Schacht commanded the boat for its entire lifespan, receiving the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross]] on 9 January 1943 in recognition of his successful patrols in the preceding year. He never wore his award however, as he was killed with his entire crew when the boat was sunk four days later.<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/men/schacht.htm
 |title=Fregattenkapitän Harro Schacht
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=2009-08-25
}}</ref>

==Design==
[[German Type IX submarine#Type IXC|German Type IXC submarines]] were slightly larger than the original [[German Type IXB submarine|Type IXB]]s. ''U-507'' had a displacement of {{convert|1120|t|LT}} when at the surface and {{convert|1232|t|LT}} while submerged.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} The U-boat had a total length of {{convert|76.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[pressure hull]] length of {{convert|58.75|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|6.76|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, a height of {{convert|9.60|m|ftin|abbr=on}}, and a [[draught (ship)|draught]] of {{convert|4.70|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The submarine was powered by two [[MAN SE|MAN]] M 9 V 40/46 [[supercharged]] four-stroke, nine-cylinder [[diesel engine]]s producing a total of {{convert|4400|PS|kW shp|-1}} for use while surfaced, two [[Siemens-Schuckert]] 2 GU 345/34 [[Motor–generator|double-acting electric motors]] producing a total of {{convert|1000|shp|PS kW|-1}} for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two {{convert|1.92|m|ft|abbr=on|0}} [[propeller]]s. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to {{convert|230|m}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of {{convert|18.3|kn}} and a maximum submerged speed of {{convert|7.3|kn}}.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}} When submerged, the boat could operate for {{convert|63|nmi}} at {{convert|4|kn}}; when surfaced, she could travel {{convert|13450|nmi}} at {{convert|10|kn}}. ''U-507'' was fitted with six {{convert|53.3|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (four fitted at the bow and two at the stern), 22 [[torpedo]]es, one [[10.5 cm SK C/32 naval gun|{{convert|10.5|cm|in|2|abbr=on}} SK C/32 naval gun]], 180 rounds, and a [[3.7 cm SK C/30|{{convert|3.7|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} SK C/30]] as well as a [[2 cm FlaK 30|{{convert|2|cm|in|sp=us|abbr=on}} C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a [[Ship's company|complement]] of forty-eight.{{sfn|Gröner|1991|p=68}}

==Service history==

===First patrol===
Once the ''U-507'' had completed her working up period of six months following her commissioning, she departed German waters and entered the Atlantic Ocean for her first patrol; an uneventful and simple cruise to [[Lorient]] in occupied France, which was to be her permanent home port for the remainder of her life.

===Second patrol===
The second patrol was more eventful, as the boat rounded [[Florida]] at the end of April 1942, taking full advantage of the lit-up settlements on the shoreline to pick and choose her targets amongst the unescorted shipping which bottlenecked between Cuba and the Floridan peninsula. Here she sank four large cargo ships in three days before following the coastline along Western Florida and Alabama, where in three more days she sank four more large unprotected ships, making full use of the failure of the local authorities to enforce either convoy regulations or the blackout. On 6 May she sank the {{SS|Alcoa Puritan|1941|2}} about 45 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the [[Mississippi River]]. On the 12 May she sank the 10,731 GRT ''Virginia'' in the mouth of the Mississippi, killing 26 sailors in an audacious attack which shocked the American authorities. Swinging south, she sank a [[Honduras|Honduran]] freighter as she cruised out of the [[Caribbean Sea]], leaving a shaken seaboard behind her. On this cruise alone she had sunk nine ships totalling 44,782 GRT.

===Third patrol===
Her third patrol was even more controversial, as a fruitless passage across the Atlantic brought her to the Brazilian coast in mid-August 1942. There she searched for Allied shipping hugging the coastline in Brazilian territorial waters heading for North America. Here she again saw unescorted ships and a lit coastline, and Schacht made the inexplicable decision to attack without first ascertaining the nationalities of her targets. The first was the Brazilian ''[[Brazilian cargo ship Baependi|Baependy]]'' on 16 August, which was torpedoed and sunk with 270 civilian lives. A few hours later the ''[[Brazilian cargo ship Araraquara|Araraquara]]'' was sunk, killing 131 people, followed by the ''Annibal Benevolo'', on which 150 civilians drowned. The next day the slaughter continued, the ''Itagiba'' sunk within sight of the city of [[Valença, Bahia|Valença]], killing 36, and the ''Arara'' similarly sunk with 20 deaths as she picked up the survivors of the ''Itagiba''. Two days after this, the tiny sailing vessel ''Jacyra'' was sunk, and a Swedish ship was torpedoed three days after that. In just one week, ''U-507'' had sunk seven ships of 18,131 GRT and killed over 600 people, all of them neutral civilians.<ref>Carey, 2004. Page 19, last paragraph.</ref><ref>Scheina, 2003. Page 161.</ref>

Although since February 1942 German and Italian submarines had attacked Brazilian ships, during May Brazilian aero-naval forces began to attack [[Axis powers|Axis]] submarines. From July popular demonstrations occurred demanding that the Brazilian government officially abandon its neutrality; the political ramifications of what Schacht and his crew had done off the Brazilian coast were enormous. The then [[Estado Novo (Brazil)|Brazilian dictatorship]] went from a neutral nation somewhat favourable towards the Axis powers, to an enraged opponent in the space of few days, declaring war on Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Brazil would send an [[Brazilian Expeditionary Force|Expeditionary Force]] to the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Mediterranean theatre of operations]], besides the full involvement of [[Brazilian Navy|its navy]] in the [[Battle of the Atlantic]].

More importantly, [[Brazilian Air Force]] bases were made available to American naval air squadrons, thus denying the U-boats their previous advantage of hiding in Brazilian coastal waters, and giving the Allies air cover across most of the Southern Atlantic, making the job of the U-boats significantly harder. In addition, Germany's standing amongst neutral nations, particularly the formerly pro-German dictatorships of South America, was in tatters, never to recover.<ref>Ibidem Carey, 2004. Pages 9 & 10.</ref><ref>Ibidem Scheina, 2003.</ref>

[[File:U-156 37-35 Laconia 1942 09 15.jpg|right|thumb|''U-156'' (foreground) and ''U-507'' (background) on 15 September 1942|alt=Three-quarter front view over the bow from a submarine conning tower of another submarine with numerous people standing on both submarines, at sea.]]
The third patrol of ''U-507'', was also highly significant, as after two months ineffective cruising between the [[West African]] and Brazilian coasts of the South Atlantic, ''U-507'' received a radio call from {{GS|U-156|1941|2}} on 15 September reporting that she had sunk a ship carrying 1,500 Italian [[prisoners of war]]. This ship was the {{RMS|Laconia|1921|6}}, and ''U-507'' made all haste to aid in the rescue operation, collecting a large number of survivors on board and towing several lifeboats, until attacks by American aircraft on the rescuing submarines forced her to dive and escape. She returned to Germany with her human cargo, and there received the orders which were the result of the [[Laconia incident]], which consisted of a total ban on aiding shipwreck survivors, except ships' officers who were to be captured for information purposes.

===Fourth patrol===
On her fourth and final patrol she put these new orders to full use, as she sank three British ships off the northern Brazilian coast, and captured the masters of all the ships; J. Stewart, F.H. Fenn and D. MacCullum. These victories had taken her into 1943 with a reputation for success, confirmed when her captain was informed of his [[Knight's Cross]] award. On 13 January 1943 ''U-507'' was spotted by a [[U.S. Navy]] [[PBY Catalina]] aircraft of [[VP-27|VP-83]] flying from a newly available Brazilian base, which dropped several [[depth charges]] on the boat. The site of the attack was 330 miles off the Brazilian coast at [[Cape São Roque|Cape São Roque (Cape of Saint Roch)]]. There were no survivors from the entire crew of 56 including the three captives and the boat's new captain Heinz Radau, who was conducting an observation and familiarization patrol.

==Summary of raiding history==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto;"|-
! width="120px"|Date
! width="120px"|Ship Name
! width="120px"|Nationality
! width="25px" |Tonnage<br />([[Gross register tonnage|GRT]])
! width="80px" |Fate<ref>{{cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u507.html
 |title=Ships hit by ''U-507''
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=23 January 2014
}}</ref>
|-
|align="right"|30 April 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in April 1942#30 April|''Federal'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|2,881
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|4 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#4 May|''Norlindo'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|2,686
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|5 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#4 May|''Munger T. Ball'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|5,104
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|5 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#5 May|''Joseph M. Cudahy'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|6,950
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|6 May 1942
|align="left" |{{SS|Alcoa Puritan|1941|2}}
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|6,759
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|7 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#7 May|''Ontario'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Honduras}}
|align="right"|3,099
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|8 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#8 May|''Torny'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Norway}}
|align="right"|2,424
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|12 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#12 May|''Virginia'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|10,731
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|13 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#13 May|''Gulfprince'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United States|1912}}
|align="right"|6,561
|align="left" |Damaged
|-
|align="right"|16 May 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in May 1942#16 May|''Amapala'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Honduras}}
|align="right"|4,148
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|16 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#16 August|''Baependy'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|4,801
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|16 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#16 August|''Araraquara'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|4,872
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|16 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#16 August|''Annibal Benévolo'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|1,905
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|17 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#17 August|''Itagiba'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|2,169
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|17 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#17 August|''Arará'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|1,075
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|19 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#19 August|''Jacyra'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Brazil|1889}}
|align="right"|89
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|22 August 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in August 1942#22 August|''Hammaren'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|Sweden}}
|align="right"|3,220
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|27 December 1942
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in December 1942#27 December|''Oakbank'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|5,154
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|3 January 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in January 1943#3 January|''Baron Dachmont'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|3,675
|align="left" |Sunk
|-
|align="right"|8 January 1943
|align="left" |[[List of shipwrecks in January 1943#8 January|''Yorkwood'']]
|align="left" |{{flag|United Kingdom|civil}}
|align="right"|5,401
|align="left" |Sunk
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite book | last1 = Busch | first1 = Rainer | last2 = Röll | first2 = Hans-Joachim | translator-last = Brooks | translator-first = Geoffrey | title = German U-boat commanders of World War II : a biographical dictionary | publisher = Greenhill Books, Naval Institute Press | location = London, Annapolis, Md | year = 1999 | isbn = 1-55750-186-6 }}
*{{cite book
|last1=Busch
|first1=Rainer
|last2=Röll
|first2=Hans-Joachim
|title=Der U-Boot-Krieg, 1939-1945: Deutsche U-Boot-Verluste von September 1939 bis Mai 1945
|trans-title=The U-Boat War, 1939-1945: German U-boat losses from September 1939 to May 1945
|volume=IV
|publisher=Mittler
|location=Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn
|year=1999
|isbn=3-8132-0514-2
|language=de

}}
*Carey, Alan C. ''Galloping Ghosts of the Brazilian Coast''. iUniverse, Inc. 2004. {{ISBN|0595315275}}
*{{cite book
|last1=Gröner
|first1=Erich
|last2=Jung
|first2=Dieter
|last3=Maass
|first3=Martin
|translator-last1=Thomas
|translator-first1=Keith
|translator-last2=Magowan
|translator-first2=Rachel
|year=1991
|chapter=U-boats and Mine Warfare Vessels
|volume=2
|title=German Warships 1815–1945
|location=London
|publisher=Conway Maritime Press
|isbn=0-85177-593-4
|ref=CITEREFGröner1991
}}
*{{cite book
|last=Kemp
|first=Paul
|title=U-Boats Destroyed – German Submarine Losses in the World Wars
|location=London
|year=1999
|publisher=Arms & Armour
|isbn=1-85409-515-3

}}
*{{cite book
|last=Sharpe
|first=Peter
|title=U-Boat Fact File
|publisher=Midland Publishing
|location=Great Britain
|year=1998
|isbn=1-85780-072-9

}}
*Scheina, Robert L. ''Latin America's Wars Volume II: The Age of the Professional Soldier, 1900–2001''. Potomac Books, 2003. {{ISBN|978-1574884524}}

{{Refend}}

==External links==
*{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/u507.htm
 |title=The Type IXC boat U-507
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net
 |access-date=7 December 2014
}}

{{Coord|1|38|N|39|52|W|display=title|source:frwiki}}

{{German Type IXC submarines}}
{{January 1943 shipwrecks}}
{{Subject bar
| commons=y
| commons-search=Category:U-507 (submarine, 1941)
}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:U0507}}
[[Category:German Type IX submarines]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Germany]]
[[Category:Military history of Brazil]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk by US aircraft]]
[[Category:U-boats commissioned in 1941]]
[[Category:1941 ships]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk in 1943]]
[[Category:Ships built in Hamburg]]
[[Category:U-boats sunk by depth charges]]
[[Category:Submarines lost with all hands]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in January 1943]]