Just quickly without reference to any books, the American submarine had six forward and four aft torpedo tubes and carried more torpedoes to battle than any German submarine. Serving good food and having air conditioning made the men aboard a much more efficient fighting machine. They had longer range and were faster both on the surface and submerged than any German submarine that saw combat during the war.
Also, the power setup was much more advanced with the diesels used only to produce electricity for the electric motors, which were the only motors connected to the propellor shafts and to charge the batteries. Four engines vs. only two for the German submarines meant much more flexibility in power/battery charging configurations. The American TDC's position keeper was a huge step forward from the German TDC, allowing the American sub to shoot entirely blind from any depth as long as their targeting solution was valid.
And finally, the deal clencher that made the American submarine undeniably superior to ANY German submarine, a great and dependable radar.
The Germans made the mistake of going forward with WWI designs. The American subs took it to the next level. There was no comparison in quality.
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