German submarine U-537

History
Nazi Germany
Name:	U-537
Ordered:	10 April 1941
Builder:	Deutsche Werft AG, Hamburg-Finkenwerder
Yard number:	355
Laid down:	10 April 1942
Launched:	7 November 1942
Commissioned:	27 January 1943
Fate:	Sunk in the Java sea, 9 November 1944
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type IXC/40 submarine
Displacement:	1,144 t (1,126 long tons) surfaced 1,257 t (1,237 long tons) submerged
Length:	76.76 m (251 ft 10 in) o/a 58.75 m (192 ft 9 in) pressure hull
Beam:	6.86 m (22 ft 6 in) o/a 4.44 m (14 ft 7 in) pressure hull
Height:	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught:	4.67 m (15 ft 4 in)
Installed power:	4,400 PS (3,200 kW; 4,300 bhp) (diesels) 1,000 PS (740 kW; 990 shp) (electric)
Propulsion:	2 shafts 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed:	18.3 knots (33.9 km/h; 21.1 mph) surfaced 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) submerged
Range:	13,850 nmi (25,650 km; 15,940 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced 63 nmi (117 km; 72 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged
Test depth:	230 m (750 ft)
Complement:	4 officers, 44 enlisted
Armament:	6 × torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) 22 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedoes 1 × 10.5 cm (4.1 in) deck gun (180 rounds) 1 × 3.7 cm (1.5 in) AA gun 1 × twin 2 cm FlaK 30 AA guns
Service record
Part of:	4th U-boat Flotilla (Training) 27 January – 31 July 1943 10th U-boat Flotilla (front Boat) 1 August 1943 – 30 September 1944 33rd U-boat Flotilla (front Boat) 1 October – 9 November 1944
Commanders:	Kptlt. Peter Schrewe 27 January 1943 – 9 November 1944
Operations:	3 patrols
Victories:	None

The German submarine U-537 was a Type IXC/40 U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. Her keel was laid down on 10 April 1942 by Deutsche Werft in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 27 January 1943 with Kapitänleutnant Peter Schrewe in command. Schrewe commanded the boat for nearly two years, until her loss.

The U-537 conducted three patrols, and holds the distinction of making the only armed German landing in North America during World War II, when she installed the automatic Weather Station Kurt in Martin Bay, Labrador on 22 October 1943. She was then sent to the Far East. On 10 November 1944 in the Java Sea east of Surabaya, the U-537 was sunk with all hands — 58 officers and men — by torpedoes from the USS Flounder (SS-251).

German Type IXC/40 submarines were slightly larger than the original Type IXCs. The U-537 had a displacement of 1,144 tonnes (1,126 long tons) when at the surface and 1,257 tonnes (1,237 long tons) while submerged. 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 6.86 m (22 ft 6 in), a height of 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in), and a draught of 4.67 m (15 ft 4 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).

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