U-558

Type

VIIC

Ordered

25 Sep, 1939

Laid down

6 Jan, 1940

Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (werk 534)

Launched

23 Dec, 1940

Commissioned

20 Feb, 1941

Oblt. Günther Krech (Knights Cross)

Commanders

20 Feb, 1941 - 20 Jul, 1943

Kptlt. Günther Krech (Knights Cross)

Career

10 patrols

20 Feb, 1941 - 1 May, 1941 1. Flottille (training)
1 May, 1941 - 20 Jul, 1943 1. Flottille (front boat)

Successes

17 ships sunk for a total of 93.186 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 913 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 925 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 15.070 GRT
1 ship a total loss for a total of 6.672 GRT

Fate

Sunk 20 July, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain, in position 45.10N, 09.42W, by depth charges from a British Halifax and a US Liberator aircraft (Sqdn 58/E, 19th A/S USAAF/F). 45 dead and 5 survivors.

See the 22 ships hit by U-558 - View the 10 war patrols

Wolfpack operations

U-558 operated with the following Wolfpacks during its career:
   Rochen (16 Feb, 1943 - 25 Feb, 1943)
   Tümmler (27 Feb, 1943 - 19 Mar, 1943)
   Trutz (1 Jun, 1943 - 16 Jun, 1943)
   Trutz I (16 Jun, 1943 - 2 Jul, 1943)

Attacks on this boat

17 Oct, 1941
A Catalina aircraft depth charged the boat while it was shadowing convoy SC-48 causing some damages to the boat. The boat still kept contact with the convoy for several hours more. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 370)

2 Dec, 1941
While attempting to cross the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean the boat was attacked by radar-equipped British aircraft that attacked but also brought in 2 surface escorts that depth charged the boat causing extensive damages. The boat evaded its attacked but had to return to base. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 401)

14 Jul, 1943
The boat was attacked by a British Wellington aircraft (179 Sqdn RAF/M) off Lisbon. AA fire damaged the aircraft, which dropped depth charges without damaging U-558. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

17 Jul, 1943
The boat was attacked by a British Liberator aircraft (224 Sqdn RAF/P, pilot W/C A.E. Clouston, DFC, AFC) off Porto. The aircraft used radar to attack U-558 in bad weather and dropped 24 35lb A/S bombs from 300 feet that straddled the boat. The remaining bombs hung up in a second attack and the boat escaped with minor damages by crash-diving. AA fire and splinters from its own bombs had hit the Liberator 31 times in the wings, fuselages and the engines. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

20 Jul, 1943
Aircraft attack, aircraft shot down:American B-24 Liberator (19 A/S Sqdn USAAF/B, pilot Lt H.E. Dyment)

The aircraft was apparently lost with its crew of 10 men after attacking the inbound U-558 with depth charges in the Bay of Biscay. The boat was sunk shortly afterwards in further air attacks. She had been attacked by 5 aircraft within one week, shooting down one and damaging three others.

(Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

20 Jul, 1943
The sinking of U-558Around midday, the inbound boat was attacked by an American B-24 Liberator (19 A/S Sqdn USAAF/F, pilot Lt C.F. Gallimeir) in the Bay of Biscay. AA fire stopped the port inner engine, but the pilot had dropped seven depth charges that badly damaged the boat and left her unable to dive. While the damaged Liberator was heading home, the British Halifax aircraft DT642 (58 Sqdn RAF/H, pilot F/L G.A. Sawtell) attacked the boat and sank U-558 with depth charges. The commander, the II.WO and three ratings were the only survivors. On 24 July, they were spotted and reported by a Liberator aircraft, piloted by S/L T.M. Bulloch and were picked up the next day by HMCS Athabaskan. (Sources: Franks/Zimmerman)

6 recorded attacks on this boat.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-558 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.