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 and type	Type VIIC submarine
Displacement	769 tonnes (757 long tons) surfaced; 871 t (857 long tons) submerged;
Length	67.10 m (220 ft 2 in) o/a; 50.50 m (165 ft 8 in) pressure hull;
Beam	6.20 m (20 ft 4 in) o/a; 4.70 m (15 ft 5 in) pressure hull;
Height	9.60 m (31 ft 6 in)
Draught	4.74 m (15 ft 7 in)
Installed power	2,800–3,200 PS (2,100–2,400 kW; 2,800–3,200 bhp) (diesels); 750 PS (550 kW; 740 shp) (electric);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × diesel engines; 2 × electric motors;
Speed	17.7 knots (32.8 km/h; 20.4 mph) surfaced; 7.6 knots (14.1 km/h; 8.7 mph) submerged;
Range	8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph) surfaced; 80 nmi (150 km; 92 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph) submerged;
Test depth	230 m (750 ft); Crush depth: 250–295 m (820–968 ft);
Complement	4 officers, 40–56 enlisted
Armament	5 × 53.3 cm (21 in) torpedo tubes (four bow, one stern); 14 × torpedoes or 26 TMA mines; 1 × 8.8 cm (3.46 in) deck gun (220 rounds); 1 x 2 cm (0.79 in) C/30 AA gun;
Service record
Part of:	1st U-boat Flotilla; 13 February – 4 December 1941; 29th U-boat Flotilla; 5 – 16 December 1941;
Identification codes:	M 37 961
Commanders:	Oblt.z.S. / K.Kapt. Ottokar Arnold Paulssen; 13 February – 16 December 1941;
Operations:	4 patrols:; 1st patrol:; 13 May – 10 July 1941; 2nd patrol:; a. 13 – 15 August 1941; b. 20 August – 19 September 1941; 3rd patrol:; 19 November – 7 December 1941; 4th patrol:; 9 – 16 December 1941;
Victories:	6 merchant ships sunk ; (31,729 GRT); 1 warship sunk ; (5,220 tons);

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.

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