German submarine U-554

German submarine U-554 was a Type VIIC U-boat of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II. The submarine was laid down on 1 December 1939 at the Blohm & Voss yard in Hamburg as yard number 530, launched on 7 November 1940, and commissioned on 15 January 1941 under the command of Kapitänleutnant Dietrich Lohmann.

Design
German Type VIIC submarines were preceded by the shorter Type VIIB submarines. U-554 had a displacement of 769 t when at the surface and 871 t while submerged. She had a total length of 67.10 m, a pressure hull length of 50.50 m, a beam of 6.20 m, a height of 9.60 m, and a draught of 4.74 m. The submarine was powered by two Germaniawerft F46 four-stroke, six-cylinder supercharged diesel engines producing a total of 2800 to 3200 PS for use while surfaced, two BBC GG UB 720/8 double-acting electric motors producing a total of 750 PS for use while submerged. She had two shafts and two 1.23 m propellers. The boat was capable of operating at depths of up to 230 m.

The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 17.7 kn and a maximum submerged speed of 7.6 kn. When submerged, the boat could operate for 80 nmi at 4 kn; when surfaced, she could travel 8500 nmi at 10 kn. U-554 was fitted with two 53.3 cm torpedo tubes fitted at the bow, fourteen torpedoes, one 8.8 cm SK C/35 naval gun, 220 rounds, and a 2 cm C/30 anti-aircraft gun. The boat had a complement of between forty-four and sixty.

Service history
Assigned to the 24th U-boat Flotilla, the U-boat served throughout the war under a number of commanders, but always as a training vessel, seeing no combat service. She was transferred to the 22nd U-boat Flotilla on 1 July 1944, and then to the 31st U-boat Flotilla on 1 February 1945.

The submarine was scuttled on 5 May 1945 near Wilhelmshaven, in position 53.85°N, 8.16667°W, only a few days before the German surrender.