German submarine U-524

German submarine U-524 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Nazi German Kriegsmarine during World War II.

She was laid down at the Deutsche Werft (yard) in Hamburg as 'werk' 339 on 7 August 1941, launched on 30 April 1942 and commissioned on 8 July with Kapitänleutnant Freierr Walter von Steinaecker in command.

U-524 began her service career with training as part of the 4th U-boat Flotilla from 8 July 1942. She was re-assigned to the 10th flotilla for operations on 1 December 1942.

She carried out two patrols and sank two ships. She was a member of three wolfpacks.

She was sunk in March 1943 south of Madeira by an American aircraft.

1st patrol
The boat departed Marviken (Kristiansand) in Norway on 14 November 1942, moved through the North Sea, negotiated the 'gap' between Iceland and the Faroe Islands and entered the Atlantic Ocean.

She opened her account when she sank the Empire Spenser on 8 December 1942 southeast of Cape Farewell (Greenland).

She entered Lorient, on the French Atlantic coast, on 9 January 1943.

2nd patrol and loss
Having left Lorient on 3 March 1943, she sank the French ship Wyoming on the 15th, north of the Azores.

She was sunk south of Madeira on the 22nd by depth charges dropped by an American B-24 Liberator called Tidewater Tillie.

Fifty-two men died; there were no survivors.