Unterseeboot 557
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| Career (Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | U-557 |
| Ordered: | 25 September 1939 |
| Builder: | Blohm & Voss, Hamburg, yard 533 |
| Commissioned: | 13 February 1941 |
| Fate: | accidental ramming by Italian Torpedo-Boat Orione |
| Class and type: | VIIC |
| Service record | |
| Part of | Kriegsmarine |
| Commanders | Oblt Ottokar Paulssen |
| Operations | 5 |
| Victories | 6 ships sunk for a total of 31,729 gross register tons (GRT) 1 warship sunk, 5,220 tons displacement |
Unterseeboot 557 (U-557) was a Type VIIC submarine of the Kriegsmarine. She was ordered on 25 September 1939, from Blohm + Voss of Hamburg. She was commissioned 13 February 1941, with Oberleutnant zur See Ottokar Paulssen in command. Paulssen commanded her for her entire career.
[edit] Career
U-557 carried out five patrols between May 1941 and her loss in December 1941. In that time she sank 6 ships, of 31,729 GRT, and one warship, the light cruiser Galatea, of 5,220 tons standard displacement.
[edit] Fate
At 1806hrs on 16 December, U-557 sent a short radio signal indicating that she was 18 hours from port. At 1800hrs on the same day, the Italian torpedo boat Orione left the Cretan port of Suda. The commander had no knowledge that a German U-boat was in the area of Crete.
When the Italian commander saw a submarine at 2144hrs, heading in a northerly direction, he decided to ram it, supposing it to be British. U-557 sank immediately with all hands; the damaged Italian torpedo boat headed back to base. The position of the incident was given by the Italian commander as .
