German submarine U-553

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German submarine U-553 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-553 had a displacement of Template:Convert when at the surface and Template:Convert while submerged.Template:Sfn She had a total length of Template:Convert, a pressure hull length of Template:Convert, a beam of Template:Convert, a height of Template:Convert, and a draught of Template:Convert. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of Template:Convert for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of Template:Convert for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two Template:Convert propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to Template:Convert.Template:Sfn

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of Template:Convert and a maximum submerged speed of Template:Convert.Template:Sfn When submerged, the boat could operate for Template:Convert at Template:Convert; when surfaced, she could travel Template:Convert at Template:Convert. U-553 was fitted with five Template:Convert torpedo tubes (four fitted at the bow and one at the stern), fourteen torpedoes, one [[8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun|Template:Convert SK C/35 naval gun]], 220 rounds, and a [[2 cm FlaK 30|Template:Convert C/30]] anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.Template:Sfn

Service history

Her keel was laid down 21 November 1939, by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg as yard number 529. She was launched on 7 November 1940 and commissioned on 23 December, with Kapitänleutnant Karl Thurmann in command. He was captain for her entire career.

Her service began with training under the 7th U-boat Flotilla and moved on to operations on 1 April 1941. She then transferred to the 3rd flotilla on 1 December 1942. She was a member of ten wolfpacks. She moved from Kiel in Germany to Bergen in Norway in April 1941.

First patrol

The boat departed Bergen on 19 April 1941 and headed for the Atlantic via the gap between the Faeroe and Shetland Islands. She arrived at her new base of St. Nazaire in occupied France on 2 May 1941 after suffering serious engine trouble.

Second patrol

Departing St. Nazaire on 7 June, she achieved success north of the Azores, by sinking the Susan Maersk (she went down in 90 seconds)<ref name=Susanmaersk>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Ranella (she broke in two)<ref name=Ranella>Template:Cite web</ref> both on 12 June 1941.

Third, fourth and fifth patrols

Her next three sorties met with mixed fortune; her third patrol saw no success, despite ranging far and wide over the north Atlantic.

U-553Template:'s next foray saw her attack merchantmen such as the Silvercedar, (sunk on 15 October 1941)<ref name=Silvercedar>Template:Cite web</ref> and Template:HMS (sunk on 17 October).<ref name=Gladiolus>Template:Cite web</ref>

The boat's fifth patrol took her toward the eastern Canadian/US coast where she succeeded in damaging the Diala on 15 January 1942<ref name=Diala>Template:Cite web</ref> and sinking the Innerøy on 22 January.<ref name=U553>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sixth and seventh patrols

The boat's sixth patrol took her from St. Nazaire as far north as the Faeroe Islands. It was unsuccessful.

Outing number seven saw the submarine penetrate the Gulf of St. Lawrence where she sank two ships; the Leto<ref name=Leto>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Nicoya.<ref name=Nicoya>Template:Cite web</ref> The Mattawin<ref name=Mattawin>Template:Cite web</ref> was sent to the bottom of the Atlantic.

Eighth patrol

The boat's eighth patrol began with her departure from St. Nazaire on 19 July and to which she returned on 17 September after 61 days at sea, her longest. In that time, she damaged the Belgian Soldier off Newfoundland<ref name=Belgiansoldier>Template:Cite web</ref> and attacked three other ships near Cuba.<ref name=Blankaholm>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=Empirebede>Template:Cite web</ref> one of which, the Empire Bede, was sunk by gunfire from Template:HMS.<ref name=Pimpernel>Template:Cite web (classed as sunk by U-553)</ref>

Ninth patrol

Her last full patrol commenced on 23 November 1942; she sank the Charles L D on 9 December 1942. She returned to France, but this time La Pallice on 18 December.<ref name=Charlesld>Template:Cite web</ref>

Loss

Her tenth and final sortie began with her departure from La Pallice on 16 January 1943. On the 20th, she sent a radio message: "Sehrohr unklar" (periscope unready for action), and was never heard from again. She had suffered no casualties to her crew until lost with all hands. She most probably sank because of technical problems and was officially declared missing on 28 January 1943.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Wolfpacks

U-553 took part in ten wolfpacks, namely:

• West (13 – 20 June 1941)
• Grönland (10 – 23 August 1941)
• Kurfürst (23 August – 2 September 1941)
• Seewolf (2 – 13 September 1941)
• Zieten (6 – 22 January 1942)
• Westwall (2 – 12 March 1942)
• York (12 – 26 March 1942)
• Pirat (29 July – 3 August 1942)
• Draufgänger (29 November – 11 December 1942)
• Landsknecht (19 – 20 January 1943)

Summary of raiding history

Date	Ship Name	Nationality	Tonnage<ref group=Note name=tonnage>Merchant ship tonnages are in gross register tons. Military vessels are listed by tons displacement.</ref>	Fate<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
12 June 1941	Ranella	Template:Flag	5,590	Sunk
12 June 1941	Susan Maersk	Template:Flag	2,355	Sunk
15 October 1941	Ila	Template:Flag	1,583	Sunk
15 October 1941	Silvercedar	Template:Flag	4,354	Sunk
17 October 1941	Template:HMS	Template:Navy	925	Sunk
15 January 1942	Diala	Template:Flag	8,106	Damaged
22 January 1942	Innerøy	Template:Flag	8,260	Sunk
12 May 1942	Leto	Template:Flag	4,712	Sunk
12 May 1942	Nicoya	Template:Flag	5,364	Sunk
2 June 1942	Matawin	Template:Flag	6,919	Sunk
3 August 1942	Belgian Soldier	Template:Flag	7,167	Damaged
18 August 1942	Blankaholm	Template:Flag	2,845	Sunk
18 August 1942	Empire Bede	Template:Flag	6,959	Sunk
18 August 1942	John Hancock	Template:Flag	7,176	Sunk
9 December 1942	Charles L D	Template:Flag	5,273	Sunk

U-553 in fiction

Neal Stephenson's novel Cryptonomicon includes a fictitious U-553 which runs aground about ten miles north of Qwghlm, a fictional pair of islands, Inner Qwghlm and Outer Qwghlm, off the northwestern coast of Great Britain.

Bibliography

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External links

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