U-552

Type

VIIC

Ordered

25 Sep 1939

Laid down

1 Dec 1939

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 528)

Launched

14 Sep 1940

Commissioned

4 Dec 1940

Oblt. Erich Topp (Oak Leaves with Swords)

Commanders

4 Dec 1940 - 8 Sep 1942	KrvKpt. Erich Topp (Knights Cross)
9 Sep 1942 - 10 Jul 1944	Kptlt. Klaus Popp
11 Jul 1944 - 2 May 1945	Oblt. Günther Lube

Career

15 patrols

4 Dec 1940 - 1 Feb 1941  7. Flottille (training)
1 Feb 1941 - 30 Apr 1944  7. Flottille (front boat)
1 May 1944 - 2 May 1945  22. Flottille (school boat)

Successes

30 ships sunk for a total of 163,756 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 520 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1,190 tons
3 ships damaged for a total of 26,910 GRT

Fate

Scuttled on 2 May, 1945 at Wilhelmshaven, in position 53.51N, 08.10E.

See the 35 ships hit by U-552 - View the 15 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-552 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Endrass (12 Jun 1942 - 17 Jun 1942)
   Wolf (13 Jul 1942 - 21 Jul 1942)
   Steinbrock (1 Aug 1942 - 7 Aug 1942)
   Meise (20 Apr 1943 - 27 Apr 1943)
   Star (28 Apr 1943 - 4 May 1943)
   Fink (4 May 1943 - 6 May 1943)

Attacks on this boat

21 Feb 1941
The boat was attacked by an aircraft in the North Atlantic, suffering some damage.

28 Apr 1941
After torpedoing a ship from convoy HX 121 the boat was depth charged in 5 attacks by 2 of its escorting destroyers, the HMS Maori and HMS Inglefield. This attack held the boat down for hours and kept her from the convoy. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 272)

18 Jun 1941
After spotting an inbound convoy Topp attempted to attack and bring in other boats but he was driven off by its escorts. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 307)

1 Oct 1941
The boat was attacked by a Hudson aircraft which dropped one bomb and damaged the U-boat slightly.

17 Jan 1942
The boat was attacked by a "destroyer" after firing torpedoes against a freighter escorted by 2 "destroyers". The boat escaped undamaged. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 471)

20 Nov 1942
While enroute to the USA to be refitted at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, the Dutch submarine HrMs K XIV (Lt.Cdr. J.H. Geijs) attacks the German submarine U-552 south of the Cape Verde Islands in position 13º05'N, 25º50'W. At a distance of around 900 meters K XIV launched four torpedo’s. The old torpedo’s from the Netherlands East Indies ran close to the surface and were detected by the Germans an missed their target as the U-boat turned away.

27 May 1943
A British B-24 Liberator aircraft (Sqdn 59, pilot H.A.L. Moran) attacked the boat in two runs dropping a total of 8 depth charges causing severe damages. The boat survived and managed to reach port on June 13. (Sources: Blair, vol 2, page 340)

7 recorded attacks on this boat.

General notes on this boat

31 Oct 1941.

The first US Navy ship lost in the Atlantic

On 31. October, 1941 U-552 was attacking the eastbound convoy HX-156 and at roughly 0525 hours torpedoed one of its escorts. The ship's magazine exploded and the ship sank quickly and 100 out of its crew of 144 perished. The ship was the destroyer USS Reuben James and it was the first US Navy ship lost in hostile action in WWII.

This took place roughly 6 weeks before war was declared between Germany and the United States although US Navy ships had been escorting convoys and attacking U-boats for months before that.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-552 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.