U 575
1. war patrol from September 8, 1941 to October 9, 1941
Operational area: North-Atlantic/southwest of Iceland
U 575 has sank on 2.10.1941 the Dutch vessel Tuva with 4.652 BRT in the grid square AK 6920, position: 54°16`N, 26°26´W.
U 575 shot three torpedos to a group of four vessels. After alarm diving they listen two explosions on one vessel and one more of a another vessel and after it sinking noises in minimum of one vessel.
The US destroyer Winslow (DD-359), escort for the convoy ON 20, came for help to Tuva. As the Winslow come on the theatre, swim the vessel without speed. In the near localized the Winslow an U-Boat and began the tracing. Without war between the USA and Germany, US-Ships battled against the German ships, but the Germans had the strictly order not to fight against the US-Ships. The USA was formally neutral. Germany didn’t want to give the USA a reason to begin a war against Germany. As they came back to the theatre after an unsuccessfully search, the Tuva was sinking and no survivors were found anymore. But the crew was picked up from another vessel meanwhile. Acoording to Lloyd´s is one men from 35 men missed.
The coast guard cutter Campbell escorted back the irreparable damaged English vessel „San Florentino“ (ca. 4.ooo BRT). This hit was not official verified and ws not added to the statistic (information from the official chronicle of the US-Navy).
Summary of the Interrogation Report (US O.N.I.)
FIRST PATROL
U-575 sailed from Trondheim early in September 1941. While a member of a group in the North Atlantic, she made one attack on a small convoy. Immediately after firing a torpedo, she was forced by the approach of a destroyer to submerge. A depth charge attack ensued. No serious damage was done. One unidentified ship is believed to have been sunk.
U-575 was not supplied on this patrol. After having been at sea five and a half weeks, U-575 put in at St. Nazaire, where she was attached to the seventh flotilla. She arrived mid-October 1941.
Tuva 1935 4.652 GRT
