U 575
4.war patrol
March 24 to May 14, 1942
Operational area: West-Atlantic/USA-East coast
On 16. April 1942 3.38 a.m. sank by by 38°45´N/66°45W (grid square CB 44) the American vessel „Robin Hood“ with 6.887 GRT.
When U 575 came on with the 5th wave for the US- east coast, the “golden times” for the U-Boats were over already. The American counteractive measures were got on scandalize slowly and made the great Germans results possible. But after 4 – 5 month the counteractive measures had an effect. Although about the U-Boats had enough opportunities for good shots. Well, like same other U-Boats, U 575 was troubled under many torpedo failures. Of one hit came ten miss shots. The reason was a mistake in deep control.
Summary of the Interrogation Report (US O.N.I.)
FOURTH PATROL
For her next patrol, which began early in May 1942, U-575 received a new Executive Officer, Oberleutnant Basse (O.N.I. Note: Believed to be Georg Wilhelm Basse of the 1936 Term.) Her other officers were the same as on previous patrols. Her operational area was, as on previous patrol, in the North Atlantic.
This time U-575 at last managed to make a sinking about which there was no doubt. An unidentified independent freighter of about 5,500 tons was attacked with five or six torpedoes and sunk in a matter of a few seconds. The attack was made at night on the surface.
This one sinking, however, was all that U-575 could accomplish on this patrol. After having been out six and a half to seven weeks she again put in at St. Nazaire, arriving there late in June 1942.
