Kriegsmarine U-552, Unterseeboot Type VIIC   The U-552 was a Type VIIC U-boat laid down by Blohm& Voss, Hamburg on December 1st, 1939; commissioned on December 4, 1940 with Oberleutnant Erich Toop in command.   The U-552 is known for two famous events: -On October 31st, 1941 the U-522 was attacking the eastbound convoy HX-156 and at roughly 05:25 hours torpedoed one of its escorts. The ship`s magazine exploded and the ship sank quickly and some 115 out of her crew of 144 perished. The ship was the destroyer USS Reuben James DD-245 and it was the first US Navy ship lost in hostile action in WW-II.   The event took place some 6 weeks before war was declared between Germany and the US although US Navy ships had been escorting convoys and attacking U-boats for months before that.   - On her most successful patrol, the eighth, that took place in March-April 1942, U-522 Topp still in command, sank eight ships for a total of 45,731 tons.   U-552 is considered to be a very successful WW-II submarine, nick named `Red Devil Boat`, had 15 war patrols sinking 32 ships for a total of 165,433 tons and damaging 3 more ships. The boat survived the war and she was scuttled on May 2ed, 1945at Wilhelmshaven, in position 53.51N, 08.10E.   Back to History Index Image Country Year Description Germany 1944 Commander at the periscope.Kapitanleutnant Erich Topp of U-552 Marshall Is. 1991 German U-552 (U-562 inscription on stamp incorrect)