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Story about 100 men lost there life, one of total 15 patrols made by U552
Uboat fate in May 1945 in Readerschleuse. Wreck broken up
In total U552 sunk 30 ships and 2 warships
This is the story from convoy HX156 where one escort ship was torpedoed at 05:25. Ship magasine exploded and instantly sunk
Release : During 2027
U552 – The Atlantic Inferno
In the autumn of 1941, the North Atlantic had become a hunting ground. German U-boats prowled beneath the waves, searching for Allied convoys carrying vital supplies across the ocean to Britain. Above the surface, merchant ships pushed eastward through the darkness, protected by naval escorts that knew danger could strike at any moment.
Among the most feared submarines was U-552, a German Type VIIC U-boat commanded by Kapitänleutnant Erich Topp. Known as the “Red Devil” because of its distinctive emblem, U-552 had already established a formidable reputation during its Atlantic patrols.
On 25 October 1941, U-552 departed on another patrol into the North Atlantic. Its target was the Allied convoy HX-156, an eastbound formation making its dangerous passage from Newfoundland towards Iceland and eventually Britain.
As dawn approached on 31 October, U-552 closed in on the convoy. American destroyer USS Reuben James was among the escort vessels protecting the merchant ships. Although the United States had not yet officially entered the war, its navy was increasingly involved in protecting Atlantic shipping routes.
At approximately 05:25, a torpedo launched from U-552 struck the destroyer.
The explosion was catastrophic. The forward section of Reuben James was torn apart as its ammunition magazine detonated. Within moments, the ship began to disappear beneath the waves. The stern remained afloat briefly before the Atlantic swallowed the wreckage.
Of the 144 crew members aboard, 100 lost their lives. Only 44 survived.
The sinking sent shockwaves across the United States. Reuben James became the first US Navy ship lost to enemy action during World War II, an event that intensified the already growing tensions between America and Germany.
Far below the surface, U-552 continued its patrol. The submarine had survived another encounter, but the Atlantic campaign was entering an increasingly dangerous chapter. The ocean remained vast, dark and unforgiving, and the war beneath its surface was far from over.
U-552 – The Atlantic Inferno captures one of those moments when the quiet depths of the ocean concealed an event that would echo far beyond the waves.
Historical references
The story is based on documented events: