German submarine U-553
German submarine U-553 was a [German German Type VIIC submarine|Type VIIC submarine|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 when at the surface and while submerged. She had a total length of, a pressure hull length of, a beam of, a height of, and a draught of. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of for use while surfaced, two Brown, Boveri & Cie GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to.The submarine had a maximum surface speed of and a maximum submerged speed of. When submerged, the boat could operate for at ; when surfaced, she could travel at. U-553 was fitted with five torpedo tubes, fourteen torpedoes, one SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.
Service history
U-553 was one of eight Type VIIC submarines ordered from Blohm & Voss on 25 September 1939. Her keel was laid down on 21 November 1939, by Blohm & Voss at their Hamburg shipyard, 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 and the Ranella 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-553s next foray saw her attack merchantmen such as the Silvercedar, and .
The boat's fifth patrol took her toward the eastern Canadian/US coast where she succeeded in damaging the Diala on 15 January 1942 and sinking the Innerøy on 22 January.
Sixth and seventh patrols
The boat's sixth patrol took her from St. Nazaire as far north as the Faeroe Islands. It was uneventful.Outing number seven saw the submarine penetrate the Gulf of St. Lawrence where she sank two ships; the Leto and the Nicoya. The Mattawin was sent to the bottom of the Atlantic.