Editing German submarine U-556 (section)

==Service history==

===First patrol===
''U-556'' sailed from [[Kiel]] for her first patrol on 1 May 1941. She headed out into the waters of the northern Atlantic, south of [[Greenland]].<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1295.html
 |title=Patrol of U-boat U-556 from 1 May 1941 to 30 May 1941
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=U-boat patrols - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref> She made her first kill on 6 May, sinking the 166 GRT Faroese [[fishing trawler]] ''Emanuel'' with her [[deck gun]] west of the [[Faroe Islands]].<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/901.html
 |title=Emanuel (Steam trawler)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

On 10 May she joined the [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]] ''West''<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://uboat.net/ops/wolfpacks/3.html
|title=Wolfpack West
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Wolfpacks - German U-boat Operations - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref> attacking Convoy OB 318 south-east of [[Cape Farewell, Greenland|Cape Farewell]]. Her first victim was the 4,986 GRT British merchant ship ''Aelybryn'', hit by one of the torpedoes fired by the U-boat at 04:42. Badly damaged, but suffering only a single casualty, the ship was towed to [[Reykjavík]] by {{HMS|Hollyhock|K64|6}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/2765.html
 |title=Aelybryn (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

The convoy scattered, but at 07:52 ''U-556'' torpedoed and sank the 4,861 GRT British merchant ship {{SS|Empire Caribou||2}}. Nine crew members and two gunners were later picked up by {{HMS|Malcolm|D19|6}}, but the master, 31 crewmen, and two gunners were lost.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/916.html
 |title=Empire Caribou (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

The U-boat had her third success of the day at 20:37, sinking the 5,086 GRT Belgian merchant ship ''Gand''. One crew member was lost and another wounded. The master, 38 crewmen and four gunners were rescued by {{HMS|Burwell|H94|6}}.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/918.html
 |title=Gand (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

Ten days later, on 20 May, the wolfpack attacked [[Convoy HX 126]]. Between 14:48 and 15:16 ''U-556'' fired torpedoes at the convoy and sank two British merchant ships, the 4,974 GRT ''Darlington Court''<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/931.html
 |title=Darlington Court (Motor merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref> and the 5,995 GRT ''Cockaponset'',<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/934.html
 |title=Cockaponset (Steam merchant)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref> and the 8,470 GRT [[Tank ship|tanker]] ''British Security''. Loaded with 11,200 tons of [[Petroleum ether|benzine]] and [[kerosene]], the tanker caught fire and burned for three days before sinking. There were no survivors from her crew of 53.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/936.html
 |title=British Security (Motor tanker)
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=Ships hit by U-boats - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

====The sinking of ''Bismarck''====
{{main|Last battle of the battleship Bismarck}}
On 26 May, while returning from patrol, low on fuel and having fired all her torpedoes, ''U-556'' was ordered to reconnoitre the most recently reported position of the [[battleship]] {{ship|German battleship|Bismarck||2}}.

''U-556'' and ''Bismarck'' had been neighbours in the ways at Blohm & Voss and their construction was completed at about the same time. (''Bismarck'' was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] on 24 August 1940.) In January 1941, as ''U-556''{{'}}s commissioning ceremony approached, Wohlfarth wanted a band for the celebration, but could not afford to hire one. ''Kapitän'' [[Ernst Lindemann]], commanding officer of ''Bismarck'', lent him his ship's band.<ref name="uboatnet"/><ref name="specialbond">{{Cite web
|url=http://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck_class/bismarck/miscellaneous/special_bond/specialbond.html
|title=Bismarck – The Special Bond between the Bismarck and the U-556
|work=bismarck-class.dk
|access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref>

[[File:patenschafts.png|right|thumb|Wohlfarth's ''Patenschaftsurkunde'']]
As thanks, Wohlfarth drew up a humorous ''Patenschaftsurkunde'' ("Certificate of Sponsorship") promising that ''U-556'' would protect ''Bismarck''. A drawing shows Wohlfarth as the knight [[Percival|Parzival]] [Percival] (his nickname) on the deck of ''U-556'' simultaneously bringing down planes with a sword and reaching underwater to stop a torpedo with his thumb. A second drawing then shows the submarine towing the battleship to safety.<ref name="specialbond"/>

The text accompanying the drawing reads:<ref name="specialbond"/>
{{Blockquote|''Wir U556 (500 to) erklären hiermit vor Neptun, dem Herrscher über Ozeane, Meere, Seen, Flüsse, Bäche, Teiche und Rinnsale daß wir unserem grossen Bruder, dem Schlachtschiff Bismarck (42.000 to) in jeder Lage, zu Wasser, unter Wasser, zu Lande wie in der Luft beistehen wollen.''
::''Hamburg, den 28. Januar 1941''
::''Kommandant u''
::''Besatzung U556''

We, ''U-556'' (500 tons), hereby declare before [[Neptune (god)|Neptune]], Lord over oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, brooks, ponds, and rivulets, that we will provide any desired assistance to our Big Brother, the battleship ''Bismarck'' (42,000 tons), at any place on the water, underwater, on land, or in the air.
::Hamburg, 28 January 1941
::Commander &
::Crew U556}}

Around 19:50, Wohlfahrt saw the [[battlecruiser]] {{HMS|Renown|1916|6}} and the [[aircraft carrier]] {{HMS|Ark Royal|91|6}} coming out of the mist at high speed. He recorded in his log, "Enemy bows on, 10 degrees to starboard, without destroyers, without zigzagging," but without any torpedoes, could only submerge and avoid them. Wohlfahrt saw activity on ''Ark Royal''{{'}}s flight deck, which transpired to be the launching of the second, fatal attack on ''Bismarck''. At 20:39, Wohlfahrt surfaced and transmitted, "Enemy in view, a battleship, an aircraft carrier, course 115, enemy is proceeding at high speed. Position 48°&nbsp;20′&nbsp;N, 16°&nbsp;20′&nbsp;W." ''Renown''{{'}}s and ''Ark Royal''{{'}}s course toward ''Bismarck'' coincided almost exactly with his own; he proceeded on the surface at full speed behind them.<ref name="specialbond"/>

Wohlfahrt's War Diary contains these entries for 27 May 1941:<ref name="specialbond"/>
:00:00, (wind) north-west 5, seaway 5, rain squalls, moderate visibility, very dark night. Surfaced. What can I do for Bismarck? I can see [[Shell (projectile)#Illumination|star shells]] being fired and flashes from Bismarck's guns. It is a terrible feeling to be near and not to be able to do anything. All I can do is reconnoitre and lead in boats that have torpedoes. I am keeping contact at the limit of visibility, reporting the position, and sending directional signals to call up the other boats.

:03:52: I am moving around on the east side to the south, in order to be in the direction of the activity. I soon reach the limit of what I can do in view of my fuel supply. Otherwise, I won't get home.

:04:00: The seas are rising ever higher. Bismarck still fighting. Reported weather for the [[Luftwaffe]].

Around 06:30 Wohlfahrt sighted {{GS|U-74|1940|2}} and transferred the mission of maintaining contact with ''Bismarck'' to ''Kapitänleutnant'' [[Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat]]. He gave Kentrat ''Bismarck''{{'}}s position based on his observations of the star shells fired during the night, adding: "I have not seen her directly. You assume contact. I have no more fuel." Wohlfahrt then submerged and did not surface again until noon, a time at which radio signals were routinely repeated. That was when he heard for the first time the order radioed to him between 07:00 and 08:00 to pick up ''Bismarck''{{'}}s War Diary. He replied to the ''[[Befehlshaber der U-Boote]]'' ("Commander-in-Chief for Submarines") [[Karl Dönitz]], asking that this mission be transferred to Kentrat, who received the radio order, "U-boat Kentrat pick up Bismarck War Diary," but was unable to locate ''Bismarck''. The battleship had been sunk before Wohlfahrt had received the first message at noon.<ref name="specialbond"/>

''U-556'' arrived at [[Lorient]], in occupied France on 30 May 1941 after 30 days at sea,<ref name="patrols"/> where Wohlfahrt received the [[Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross|Knight's Cross]] (''Ritterkreuz'') from Dönitz personally.

===Second patrol===
''U-556'' departed from Lorient on 19 June 1941, and once more headed out into the Atlantic.<ref>{{Cite web
 |url=http://uboat.net/boats/patrols/patrol_1296.html
 |title=Patrol of U-boat U-556 from 19 Jun 1941 to 27 Jun 1941
 |last=Helgason
 |first=Guðmundur
 |website=U-boat patrols - uboat.net
 |access-date=15 February 2010
}}</ref> However, on 27 June, she was sunk south-west of Iceland, in position {{coord|60|24|N|20|00|W|dim:2000000|display=inline,title}}, by [[depth charge]]s from the British {{sclass2|Flower|corvette|1}}s {{HMS|Nasturtium|K107|6}}, {{HMS|Celandine|K75|2}} and {{HMS|Gladiolus|K34|2}}. Five of the crew were killed and 41 survived.<ref name="uboatnet"/>

===Wolfpacks===
''U-556'' took part in one [[Wolfpack (naval tactic)|wolfpack]], namely:
* [[Wolfpack West|West]] (10 – 20 May 1941)