Fishing Lure

U-58 is one of 15 German submarines that were destroyed in Irish waters during World War I. It is particularly interesting because it is the only U-boat definitely sunk by the U.S. Navy during the war. It was one of only 12 type U-57s ever constructed, being built in the A.G. Weser shipyard in Bremen in 1916. It was launched on 31 May that year and was commissioned into service on 9 August 1916. Type U-57 submarines were capable of speeds of 14.7 knots on the surface and 8.4 knots underwater. They had a surface weight of 786 tons, could reach a depth of 50m and carried a crew of 36 men. They were armed with 11 torpedoes and two deck guns – one 10.5cm and one 8.8cm gun. On 10 November 1917, U-58 departed Wilhelmshaven for its eighth, and what turned out to be its final, patrol. Four days later, in the English Channel, it sank the Dolly Varden, a 202-ton British sailing ship; there was no loss of life. The U-58 proceeded to the Irish coast and on 15 November positioned itself at the approaches to Cork harbour to attack Allied vessels leaving port. Two days later it was spotted by USS Fanning and another destroyer, USS Nicholson, which attempted to sink the U-boat with a series of depth charges. Despite making an emergency descent, the depth charges destroyed the hydroplanes of the U-58, making it impossible to control the submarine underwater. The disabled U-boat was forced to surface and came under gunfire from the two destroyers. Given their untenable situation, Kapitänleutnant Gustav Amberger ordered his crew to assemble on deck to surrender and await rescue. Two crew members returned below to scuttle the submarine with explosive charges or by opening the seacocks, and as they re-emerged the submarine began to sink. Amberger and his crew jumped from the sinking vessel into the sea and were rescued by USS Fanning, except for two officers: one who drowned; and a second officer who died on board the Fanning and was later buried at sea. The captured crew were taken to Cobh, before being transferred to the custody of the Royal Navy and transported onwards to Britain. The U-58 had been in service for 13 months, during which time it had sunk 21ships, with the loss of 17 lives and 30,906 tons of shipping.

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