- Unterseeboot 553
Unterseeboot 553 (U-553) was a Type VIIC
submarine of theKriegsmarine . Her keel was laid down21 November 1939 , by Blohm + Voss ofHamburg . She was commissioned23 December 1940 , with "Kapitänleutnant" Karl Thurmann in command. Thurmann commanded her for her entire career.U-553 conducted ten patrols, sinking 13 ships totalling 64,612 tons and damaging two others totalling 15,273 tons.
On
25 April 1941 major engine trouble forced U-553 to return to base.On
20 January 1943 , U-553 sent a radio message: "Sehrohr unklar" (periscope unready for action), and was never heard from again. She had suffered no casualties to her crew until lost with all hands.Neal Stephenson 's novelCryptonomicon includes a fictitious U-553 which runs aground about ten miles north ofQwghlm , a fictional pair ofisland s, Inner Qwghlm and Outer Qwghlm, off the northwestern coast ofGreat Britain .References
*cite web | title= Uboat.net| work= The Boats – U-553| url=http://uboat.net/boats/u553.htm| accessdate=29 March| accessyear=2007
*cite web | title= Ubootwaffe.net| work= U-553| url=http://www.ubootwaffe.net/ops/boat.cgi?boat=553| accessdate=29 March| accessyear=2007ee also
List of U-boats
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.