German submarine U-557
| History | |
|---|---|
| Nazi Germany | |
| Name | U-557 |
| Ordered | 25 September 1939 |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg |
| Yard number | 533 |
| Laid down | 6 January 1940 |
| Launched | 22 December 1940 |
| Commissioned | 13 February 1941 |
| Fate | Rammed and sunk by the Italian torpedo boat Orione west of Crete on 16 December 1941 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Type VIIC submarine |
| Displacement | |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Height | 9.60 m (31 ft 6 in) |
| Draught | 4.74 m (15 ft 7 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed |
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| Range | |
| Test depth |
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| Complement | 4 officers, 40–56 enlisted |
| Armament |
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| Service record | |
| Part of: |
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| Identification codes: | M 37 961 |
| Commanders: | |
| Operations: |
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German submarine U-557 was a Type VIIC U-boat built for Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine for service during World War II. She was laid down on 6 January 1940, launched on 22 December 1940 and commissioned on 13 February 1941. Oberleutnant zur See Ottokar Arnold Paulssen was in command throughout her career. For her first three war patrols her 2nd Watch Officer was Herbert Werner, who later wrote the memoir of U-boat service, Iron Coffins. She sank six merchant ships and one warship, a total of 31,729 gross register tons (GRT) and 5,220 tons over four patrols.
She was rammed and sunk by mistake by an Italian torpedo boat on 16 December 1941 west of Crete.