German submarine U-554

German submarine U-554 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 December 1939 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg as yard number 530, launched on 7 November 1940, and commissioned on 15 January 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Dietrich Lohmann.

Design

German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-554 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 BBC 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-554 was fitted with two torpedo tubes fitted at the bow, 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.

Assigned to the 24th U-boat Flotilla, the U-boat served throughout the war under a number of commanders, but always as a training vessel, seeing no combat service. She was transferred to the 22nd U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1944, and then to the 31st U-boat Flotilla on 1 February 1945.
The submarine was scuttled on 5 May 1945 near Wilhelmshaven, in position, only a few days before the German surrender.