Paul Brasack was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-737. As a U-boat commander Brasack was not credited with sinking any ships, but his U-boat was part of a wolf pack which operated against Convoy JW 56A and Convoy JW 56B. He fired at the destroyer HMS Milne on 31 January 1944, but missed, the torpedo exploded in the destroyers wake. His actions against the convoys pulled off the escorting destroyers enabling other U-boats of his wolf pack to attack. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross. Following World War 2, Brasack joined the Bundesmarine of the Federal Republic of Germany on 1 October 1957. He commanded the destroyer Zerstörer 2 (D171) (formerly USS Ringgold (DD-500)) from September 1962 until March 1964. From 15 September 1968 to 1 September 1971 he served as naval attaché at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. ...more

Horst von Schroeter was a German U-boat commander in World War II. As a U-boat commander of U-123 Horst von Schroeter is credited with the sinking of six merchant ships for a total of 31,557 gross register tons (GRT), a warship of 683 GRT, and damaging a ship of 7,068 GRT. After World War II he joined the Bundesmarine of the Federal Republic of Germany and from 1976 to 1979 held the position of Commander of the NATO Naval forces in the Baltic Sea Approaches (COMNAVBALTAP)....more

Hans Georg Hess joined the Kriegsmarine at the age of 16 in April 1940 as a volunteer. He spent two years on various minesweepers before transferring to the U-boat force in April 1942. He commanded a single U-boat from September 1944 until the end of the war, and sank five ships for a total of 2,298 gross register tons (GRT), and caused another to be declared a total loss for 7,176 GRT. For this he received the Knight's Cross. He made five patrols on U-466, mostly in the North Atlantic. During her fifth patrol the boat managed to break through into the Mediterranean. In September 1944 Hess took over U-995 and made five patrols in the Arctic Ocean. The boat surrendered on 8 May 1945 in Trondheim. Hans Georg Hess then spent a year in Norwegian captivity. Later he became a lawyer in Hannover ...more

Heinrich Schroeteler joined the Kriegsmarine in April 1936 and was a member of the so-called Olympia-Crew. In September 1939 he began two years of service on several minesweepers. In September 1941 he transferred to the U-boat force and accompanied U-96 on one patrol as Kommandantenschüler (commander-in-training). In October 1942 he commissioned U-667 and made four patrols, mostly in the North Atlantic. In May 1944 he left the U-boat and became a staff member of BdU op, where in July 1944 he replaced 'Adi' Schnee. In January 1945 he served as training officer in the 27th flotilla for a month before taking command of the Type VIIC U-boat U-1023 in February 1945. In the last days of the war Heinrich Schroeteler damaged a British tanker of 7,345 tons and on the evening of 7 (!) May 1945 sank the 335 ton Norwegian minesweeper NYMS 382 (Rohwer, 1998). Three days later Schroeteler surrendered U-1023 at Weymouth (Niestlé, 1998). He then spent three years in British captivity. ...more

Walther Gerhold was a Marine-Schreiber-Obergefreiter in the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Gerhold was awarded the Knight's Cross for his contribution in the Neger one man mini-submarine attack on the ORP Dragon in the night of 5/6 July 1944. The presentation of the Knight's Cross was made by Konteradmiral Hellmuth Heye on 14 July 1944 in Lübeck. Awards include: The Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (24 December 1942), 1st Class (8 July 1944), Destroyer War Badge (24 December 1942), Wound Badge (1939) in Black (23 February 1942), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 6 July 1944 as Marine-Schreiber-Obergefreiter and Einmanntorpedofahrer in the Kleinkampfflottille 361 and mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 18 July 1944 "Reported sinking of enemy ships by new weaponry of the Navy is caused by the deployment of torpedoes, which are brought to the enemy by a man. In these operations, the Sailor-Corporal Walter Gerhold has particularly distinguished himself". ...more

Karl-Lothar Schulz was a highly decorated German Fallschirmjäger and general. Göring decided that amongst his new elite troops would be a body of men trained as paratroopers. A call for volunteers went out, and Schulz was one of the first to come forward. He subsequently underwent paratrooper training and served as company commander of 15 (Pionier) Kompaniel during World War II. During the campaign in the West, Schulz and his men dropped into Holland to seize the airport at Waalhaven near Rotterdam, in order to allow the rapid landing of more German air-landing troops. The airport was defended by a battalion of Dutch troops supported by an AA battery of 7.5 cm guns, two light armoured vehicles [Vickers universal carriers] and a platoon of 2 cm anti-aircraft guns. The Dutch defenders opened fire on the German paratroops as they descended but the Fallschirmjaeger suffered only relatively light casualties. Shortly after the paratroopers had landed, elements of two companies of Infanterie-Regiment 16 (22. Infanterie-Division) arrived on the scene to give support, and with their help the Schulz-led paratroops secured the airfield. Schulz was able to send out a message giving the all clear for German aircraft to begin landing elements of 22 Air Landing Division. On the second day of the invasion Schulz and his III.Battalion (of 1.Fallschirmjaeger Regiment) were transferred to the Dordrecht areas, where another set of bridges was held by German airbornes. Schulz and his battalion got tied up in a series of battles and skirmishes with Dutch elements countering the German bridgehead. On the third day of the invasion the 9th Panzerdivision crossed the bridges at Moerdijk linking up with the airborne regiment holding these crossings. From then on the airbornes were more or less released of their duties, although few would still see some more action in the consecutive fights remaining during the last two days before the Dutch capitulation. For the part played by the troops under his command in seizing and holding the vital airfield against strong enemy counter-attacks, Schulz was decorated with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 May 1940. He was promoted to Major on 19 July 1940, took part in the Battle of Crete, and subsequently served with great distinction on the Eastern Front, first as a battalion then as a regimental commander. He was awarded the Oak-Leaves to his Knight's Cross on 20 April 1944 as Oberst in command of Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1. Subsequently promoted to command 1. Fallschirm-Division, he fought in Italy on the Anzio-Nettuno bridgehead and at Monte Cassino. On 18 November he received the Swords addition to his Oak-Leaves. He was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor on 17 January 1945. ...more

Dr. jur. Horst Benno Fridigern Weber was a German Schnellboot commander in World War II and joined Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine in 1937. From December 1939 to June 1940 he served with the 1st S-boot flotilla, in the English Channel and North Sea. The same year he transferred to the 3rd S-boot flotilla serving on S-13 and S-35 in the Baltic in action around Leningrad. Later in July 1941 he served on S-55 as commander in the Mediterranean, until January 1944. He was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See and awarded the Knight's Cross on 5 July 1943, and in January 1945 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant on S-191, of the 10th Flotilla. On the 14th June 1942, during a relief convoy to Malta (Operation Vigorous from Alexandria), S-55 torpedoed HMS Hasty about 90 nautical miles north-west of Derna, Libya. (Ship abandoned and sunk by HMS Hotspur the next day). The following March after sinking HMS Lightning, he was appointed Oberleutnant at Sea and awarded the Knight’s Cross on 5 July 1943. S-191 was subsequently sunk in collision with S-301 on 7 May 1945 in the Fehmarnsund (Baltic Sea off Kiel) the day before the war ended.The Schnellboot or S-boot ("fast craft") was a German small, fast torpedo boat, which saw service during World War II. The S-boats were approximately twice as large as its British and American counterparts. By comparison with the Allied craft, the S-boats were better suited for the open sea and had a substantially longer range at approximately 700 nautical miles. The allies called these small, fast torpedo boats "E-boats" whereas to the Germans they were "S-boats"...more

Kurt Fimmen (4 May 1911 – 6 May 2001) was a German Schnellboot commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. He led operations against the ships of the D-Day operation, sinking several vessels....more

Peter Erich Cremer began his naval career in August 1932 after studying law for six semesters. This was four months later than the usual start date, due to an accident in June of that year in which the German sailing school ship Niobe sank after capsizing, killing most of the cadets (27 men) of Crew 1932. Some men from the Reichsmarine thus went on to replace this loss. Cremer completed the one year of basic on-board training on the light cruiser Köln. After a few months on the heavy cruiser Deutschland, he served three years in the naval artillery, returning to service at sea as II WO on the destroyer Theodor Riedel and then transferring to the U-boat force in August 1940. In January 1941 Kptlt. Cremer commissioned U-152, a small coastal Type IID boat which was to serve as a school boat. A few months later he took command of the larger Type VIIC U-333, the 3 Little Fishes boat, an emblem suggested by the boat's number. Although 'Ali' Cremer went out for his first patrol on U-333 without any combat experience, he sank three enemy ships - but also, unfortunately, the German blockade-runner Spreewald.The subsequent official investigation exonerated Cremer, however. His next patrol, in US waters, was also successful, with four ships sunk, but it ended with Cremer nursing a badly damaged boat back to base after being rammed. On his third patrol Cremer was seriously wounded by gunfire from the British corvette HMS Crocus. Seven of the crew were killed, and a replacement WO from the milch cow U-459 was needed to assist Cremer in bringing a once more heavily-damaged U-333 to base. After this, Cremer got the nickname 'Ali Wrack' (Ali Wreck). But his crew members insisted that "Ali on board is the the best life insurance!". Cremer spent three months in hospital recovering from his wounds. Kptlt. Cremer returning from patrol (note the '3 Little Fishes' on his capband). From February to May 1943 he served on Dönitz' staff, but when Dönitz decided to send some experienced commanders out on patrol to investigate the situation following the massive U-boat losses of May 1943, Cremer was amongst them. And so once again Cremer took U-333 out on patrol, and in April 1944 once again returned with her badly damaged, this time from a severe depth charge attack. In July 1944 he left the boat, which was lost on the next patrol. Cremer then commissioned the new Type XXI Elektro boat U-2519, one of the highly decorated U-boat commanders (like Schnee, Bülow, Emmermann, Witt and Topp), given command of the new boats in an attempt to turn the tide in the battle of the Atlantic. Korvkpt. Cremer left U-2519 in February 1945 to become field commander of the Marine-Panzervernichtungsbataillon (Naval Tank Destroying Battalion) which was pitted against British tanks attempting to occupy the city of Hamburg. On 25 April, 1945 the daily Armed Forces' Wehrmachtsbericht announced: "A naval tank destroying unit under command of Korvettenkapitän Cremer, including volunteers from a U-boat base, destroyed 24 tanks during the last few days." In the last days of the war Cremer became commander of Dönitz's guard unit. Following Germany's surrender he spent one month in British captivity. After the war he was successful in a new career, managing several companies. Total of three signed photographes. ...more

Hans-Rudolf Rösing was a German U-boat commander in World War II and later served in the Bundesmarine of the Federal Republic of Germany. As a U-boat commander of U-48 Hans-Rudolf Rösing is credited with the sinking of 12 ships for a total of 60,701 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging one ship of 5,888 GRT. July 1939 saw Rösing promoted to Korvettenkapitän. Following a short spell of duty on the staff of the Befehlshaber der U-Boote Rösing was posted to command 7th U-boat Flotilla at Kiel. This command lasted until 21 May 1940, at which time he took over the Type VIIB boat U-48 from her highly successful previous commander, Herbert Schultze. His crew, among others, included the highly experienced 1st Watch Officer Reinhard Suhren, 2nd Watch Officer Otto Ites and chief engineer Erich Zürn. In the course of his two war patrols with U-48, Rösing sank 12 ships totaling over 60,000 tons and led a wolfpack dubbed Rösing's wolfpack. These achievements and earning himself the U-Boat War Badge, Iron Cross First Class and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Rösing left U-48 in December 1940, and was appointed liaison officer to the Italian submarine force operating out of Bordeaux in occupied France. After some months he was given command of 3rd U-boat Flotilla, but in August 1941 returned to the staff of the Befehlshaber der U-boote. In July 1942, Rösing was appointed as FdU West (Führer der Unterseeboote West), with headquarters in both Paris and Angers; he was responsible for all boats committed to the Battle of the Atlantic, and thus a great majority of the entire U-boat fleet. In February 1943 he was promoted to Fregattenkapitän, and one month later to Kapitän zur See. He remained as FdU West until autumn 1944, when the Allied liberation of France forced the Kriegsmarine to transfer the remaining boats of 2nd and 7th U-boat flotillas to bases in Norway, Denmark, and northern Germany. After the German surrender in May 1945, Rösing spent about a year in British captivity before being released. Serving as a member of the Naval Historical Team he subsequently joined the post-war Navy, and was given command of German naval units operating in the North Sea. Three signatures - 0ne price....more

Friedrich Guggenberger (6 March 1915 – 13 May 1988) was a German admiral and U-boat commander in the Second World War. He was highly successful during the war. From November 1940 until his capture in July 1943, he sank 17 ships for a total of 66,848 gross register tons (GRT) and damaged another for 6,003 GRT. He was also responsible for sinking the British aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in November 1941. For these achievements he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, among other commendations. After the war he became the Deputy Chief of Staff in the NATO command AFNORTH. Guggenberger then received command of U-81, commissioning her on 26 April 1941. He carried out three patrols in the Atlantic, encountering moderate success and sinking two ships. He was awarded the U-boat War Badge 1939 on 8 July and promoted to Kapitänleutnant on 1 September. He was then ordered to take U-81 into the Mediterranean to join 29th U-boat Flotilla. His first attempt failed when, attempting to force the Straits of Gibraltar, U-81 was spotted by RAF planes and attacked, causing heavy damage. U-81 retreated to Brest where she was repaired, and Guggenberger was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on 9 September. U-81 sailed again to attempt to enter the Mediterranean in November 1941. Whilst transiting the Straits on 13 November, he met the ships of Force H, returning to Gibraltar. He was able to attack the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, hitting her amidships with a single torpedo. He then escaped the depth charge attacks of the escorting destroyers. Despite attempts to salvage Ark Royal she had to be abandoned, and sank the next day. Guggenberger was awarded the Knight's Cross on 10 December...more

Klaus Scholtz was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the Type IXB U-boat U-108, sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of 128,190 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping, to become the eighteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II.Scholtz joined the Reichsmarine in 1927 as member of "Crew 1927" (the incoming class of 1927) and served in torpedo boats, before transferring to the U-bootwaffe ("U-boat arm") in April 1940. From October 1940 he commanded U-108, sinking 25 ships on 8 patrols, for a total of 128,190 tons of Allied shipping, including the British armed merchant cruiser Rajputana. In October 1942 Scholtz formed and took command of 12th U-boat Flotilla based at Bordeaux, France. In August 1944 the approach of Allied troops meant that the base had to be evacuated. The last U-boats escaped by sea, and Scholtz attempted to lead the remaining men (about 220) back to Germany on foot. They left Bordeaux on 26 August, but were captured on 11 September by American forces in Loire. Scholtz spent the next 18 months in US captivity. Post-war, Scholtz served in the Bundesgrenzschutz-See - the naval arm of the Federal Border Guards - from 1953 to 1956, then transferred to the Bundesmarine, serving as commander of several naval bases, including Kiel, Cuxhaven, and Wilhelmshaven. ...more

Georg-Wilhelm Schulz was a German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in September 1941, he sank 19 ships for a total of 89,885 gross register tons (GRT). For this he received the Knight's Cross, among other commendations. His next command was U-64, which he took over on 16 December 1939. He took her on her first patrol off the Norwegian coast in April 1940. The patrol was only eight days old when U-64 was detected by British naval air forces on 13 April, whilst in the Herjangsfjord near Narvik. She was attacked by a Fairey Swordfish from the battleship HMS Warspite and hit by a 350-pound bomb and raked with machine gun fire. U-64 was sunk, killing eight of the crew, but 38 survivors including Schulz managed to escape to be rescued from the water by German mountain troops. Two months later Schulz took over command of U-124 and took her on a number of successful patrols. His greatest success was on his fourth patrol, where he sank 11 ships for a total of 52,379 tons, whilst also having damaged two other merchants. He was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on 25 September 1940, and the Knight's Cross on 4 April 1941. He stepped down as commander of U-124 on 7 September 1941, handing over to Johann Mohr. During this time several later successful U-boat captains had served under Schulz, including Mohr, Reinhard Hardegen and Werner Henke. Schulz then took over as commander of 6th U-boat Flotilla, initially based in Danzig, and later in Saint Nazaire. He was promoted to Korvettenkapitän on 1 April 1943, and in October 1943 he was attached to the Staff of the 'FdU Ausbildungsflottillen' (Commander Training flotillas) in Gotenhafen. He spent time here as a staff officer, and also as the leader of the 'Erprobungsgruppe U-Boote' (U-boat testing group). He briefly moved on 22 April 1945 to become the last commander of 25th U-boat Flotilla. Two photos for one money. ...more

Gustav Waldemar Klaus Feldt was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He is credited with the destruction of HMS Exmoor on 25 February 1941 as commander of Schnellboot "S30". Awards include: Spanish Cross with Swords in Bronze (6 June 1939), Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (16 November 1939), 1st Class (28 April 1940), Memel Medal (26 October 1939), Sudetenland Medal (20 December 1939), Minesweeper War Badge (1940), Wound Badge in Black (27 June 1941), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 25 April 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of Schnellboot S-30 in the 2. Schnellbootflottille, the 362nd Oak Leaves on 1 January 1944 as Korvettenkapitän] and chief of the 2. Schnellbootflottille, Fast Attack Craft War Badge with Diamonds (19 December 1941), Finnish Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class (5 December 1942) and mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 18 April 1941. "In the speedboat attack against the British Southeast coast particularly distinguished themselves First Lieutenant at Sea Feldt, as chief of a Schnellbootflottille, and First Lieutenant at Sea Meentzen as speedboat commander." ...more

Reinhard Johann Heinz Paul Anton Suhren was a German U-boat commander in World War II and younger brother of Korvettenkapitän (Ing.) and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient Gerd Suhren. He joined the navy in 1935 and began his U-boat career in March 1938. He spent a year as 1st watch officer on U-48 where he received the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross for his contribution in the sinking of 200,000 gross register tons (GRT) of merchant shipping. In April 1941 he took command of U-564. As a commander, he is credited with the sinking of 18 merchant vessels of 95,544 GRT, 1 war ship of 900 metric tons (890 long tons; 990 short tons) and damaged four merchant vessels of 28,907 GRT for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Suhren left the boat and became an instructor in October 1942. He then served in the 27th U-boat Flotilla along with Korvettenkapitän Erich Topp. During the last year of the war Fregattenkapitän Suhren was the Führer der Unterseeboote Norwegen (Leader of U-boats in Norwegian waters) and from September 1944 the Commander-in-Chief of U-boats of the North Sea. ...more

Rolf Johannesson was a highly decorated Konteradmiral in the Kriegsmarine during World War II and Konteradmiral in the Bundeswehr. Rolf Johannesson was in charge of the destroyer Erich Steinbrinck on 8 June 1938 until 27 January 1942. The destroyer Erich Steinbrinck patrolled the Atlantic along with the battleship Gneisenau, and light cruiser Köln and destroyers Friedrich Eckoldt, Friedrich Ihn, Diether von Roeder, Theodor Riedel, Paul Jakobi, Bernd von Arnim, Max Schulz and Wilhlem Heidkamp. On 12 to 13 December 1939, Steinbrinck carries out mine laying operation against Newcastle. Along with the destroyers, Richard Beitzen, Bruno Heinemann, Friedirch Ihn and Hermann Künne. On the way back meet up with light cruisers Nürnberg, Leipzig and Köln. Nürnberg and Köln are both hit by torpedoes from the British submarine HMS Salmon escort the returning ships. In January 1940, Erich Steinbrinck carries out mine laying operations against the Thames estuary and in 1945, she Steinbrinck is seized as a prize of war by the British. Two phots - one price. ...more

Georg Schewe was a famous Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Schewe sailed with U-60 and U-105, sinking sixteen ships on ten patrols, for a total of 85.779 tons of Allied shipping of which 71,450 tons on one patrol alone. It was the second most successful patrol of World War II, second only to Günther Hessler's patrol on U-107. Awards: Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (2 October 1936), Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (20 December 1939), 1st Class (13 June 1940), Sudetenland Medal (20 December 1939), U-boat War Badge (1939) (24 January 1940), Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 May 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-105, and mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht (22 March 1941 and 17 May 1941). "In the attack against the enemy convoy on the African West Coast, the submarines under the command of Captain Lieutenant Oesten and Captain Lieutenant Schewe have particularly excellent results." And..."A submarine under the command of Captain Lieutenant Schewe reports the sinking of five British merchant ships with a total of 33,612 GRT". Four photos - two signatures. ...more

Friedrich-Karl Herrmann Otto Paul was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Friedrich-Karl Herrmann Otto Paul was given the command of the torpedo boat Jaguar on March 1941 and remained in command until May 1942. He was credited with the sinking of HMS Charybdis....more

Four Knights Cross Recipient Autographs including Korvettenkapitan Georg Wilhelm Schulz, Kapitanleutnant Reinhard Reche, Korvettenkapitan Robert Gysae, and Korvettenkapitan Peter Erich Cremer - together they accounted for over 60 ships sunk!...more

Gerd Kelbling was a German U-boat commander in World War IIAs a U-boat commander he is credited with the sinking of nine merchant vessels for a total of 38,290 gross register tons (GRT) and three warships for a total of 2,902 tons, including the USS Skill and HMS Tynedale. He further damaged one ship of 4,853 GRT and one warship of 1,625 tons. A further vessel of 8,426 GRT and one warship 1,625 tons were so heavily damaged that they were a total loss. U-593 was sunk on 13 December 1943 in the western Mediterranean by depth charges from the US destroyer Wainwright and the British escort destroyer Calpe. The entire crew, without loss of life, was taken prisoner of war. Gerd Kelbling began his naval career in April 1934. After serving on minesweepers for a few years he transferred to the U-bootwaffe in January 1941. Following standard training he went to U-557 for one patrol as a Konfirmant (commander-in-training). In October 1941 he commissioned U-593, and took her on patrol for the first time in March 1942. After three patrols in the Atlantic, U-593 broke through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean in October 1942. After enjoying some success over 12 patrols there, she was sunk on 13 December 1943 after being hunted for 32 hours by two destroyers. The commander and the entire crew were taken prisoner. Kelbling was held in a Canadian POW camp and didn't return to Germany until September 1947. Successes: 9 ships sunk, total tonnage 38,290 GRT, 4 warships sunk, total tonnage 2,954 tons, 1 ship damaged, total tonnage 4,853 GRT, 2 warships damaged, total tonnage 1,677 tons, 1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 8,426 GRT, 1 warship a total loss, total tonnage 1,625 tons...more

Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer was the most successful German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons.He earned the nickname "Silent Otto" both for his successful use of the "silent running" capability of the U-boats as well and for his reluctance to transmit radio messages during patrols. After the war, he served in the German Federal Navy and retired in 1970 with the rank of flotilla admiral (commodore). The German invasion of Poland found Kretschmer in command of U-23, he was soon sent into action along with the rest of the Kriegsmarine's U-Boat fleet. His first war patrols ranged across the North Sea and around the British coast. His initial success came in the Moray Firth where he attacked and sank the Danish 10,517 ton tanker Danmark on 12 January 1940, using torpedoes. The British admiralty at that time thought that the tanker had struck a mine as they did not suspect there was a U-boat in the area. On 18 February, Kretschmer sank the 1,300 ton British fleet destroyer Daring off the Pentland Firth while she was escorting convoy HN-12 from Norway. U-Boat crews almost always avoided deliberately engaging enemy destroyers, so Daring?'?s destruction was rightly seen as a very skillful attack by both Kretschmer and U-23. In April 1940, after eight patrols, Kretschmer was transferred to the newly completed Type VII B U-99, and in a sense began his legacy. After two months' training and shakedown maneuvers in German waters, Kretschmer took the boat into action in June 1940. During U-99?'?s first four patrols, Kretschmer commenced attacking convoys at night on the surface, sinking merchant ships with highly accurate shots, using only one torpedo per target ship; the quote "one torpedo ... one ship" is attributed to Kretschmer around this time. Kretschmer's tactics were widely copied throughout the U-Boat force, although they achieved mixed results. His most successful patrol occurred in November and December 1940 when U-99 sank three British armed merchant cruisers (AMC), HMS Laurentic (18,724 tons), HMS Patroclus (11,314 tons) and HMS Forfar (16,402 tons). Laurentic and Patroclus were attacked on the night of 3/4 November after they responded to distress calls from the 5,376 ton British freighter Casanare, which U-99 had mortally wounded about 250 miles west of Ireland. Forfar was sunk on 2 December while steaming to join up with and escort the outbound convoy OB-251. The three AMCs totalled over 46,000 gross tons. These three successes earned Kretschmer the number-one spot on the Aces list, and was never surpassed. Klaus Bargsten served aboard U-99 under Kretschmer, before being promoted to captain himself and becoming the sole survivor of U-521 on 2 June 1942. Siegfried von Forstner was another of Kretschmer's student officers aboard U-99 who later received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for sinking 15 ships as commanding officer of U-402. Kretschmer was meticulous in his conduct towards the crews of torpedoed ships. When attacking lone merchantmen in the days before wolfpack tactics began in earnest, he had been known to hand down bottles of spirits and blankets into lifeboats and give them a course to the nearest land. On one patrol in September 1940, Kretschmer had also recovered a survivor of another torpedo attack who was alone in the Atlantic on a small raft and took him aboard, transferring him to a lifeboat after his next successful attack. On his last patrol in March 1941, he sank 10 more ships, but these were to be his last victims. On 17 March 1941, during a counterattack by the British escorts of Convoy HX-112, U-99 was disabled after repeated depth charge attacks by the destroyers Walker and Vanoc. Kretschmer surfaced and, under fire from the British vessels, scuttled his boat. Three of his men were lost, but Kretschmer and the remainder of U-99?'?s crew were captured. Ketschmer's usual standards of conduct were evident during the sinking of his boat; he signaled Walker asking for rescue for his men, taking care to ensure as many left the submarine as possible, and assisted some of his crew towards the rescue nets hung from the British destroyer. Kretschmer's strength was evidently failing in the cold ocean; his own rescue was at the hands of a British sailor who climbed down the nets and plucked him from the water. Even though Kretschmer only served for one and a half of the six years of World War II, he was never bettered in terms of tonnage sunk. He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, the U-boat War Badge, the Iron Cross 1st Class, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, and the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. ...more

Kapitän zur See (Captain) Wolfgang August Eugen Lüth (15 October 1913 – 14 May 1945), was the second most successful German U-boat ace of World War II. His career record of 46 merchant ships plus the French submarine Doris sunk during 15 war patrols, with a total displacement of 230,781 gross register tons (GRT), was second only to that of Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander) Otto Kretschmer, whose 47 sinkings totaled 272,958 GRT.Lüth joined the Reichsmarine in 1933. After a period of training on surface vessels, he transferred to the U-boat service in 1936. In December 1939 he received command of U-9, which he took on six war-patrols. In June 1940 he took command of U-138 for two patrols. In October 1940 he transferred again, this time to the ocean-going submarine U-43 for five war-patrols. After two patrols on U-181, the second being his longest of the war, he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten). He was the first of two U-boat commanders to be so honored during World War II, the other recipient being Albrecht Brandi. Lüth's last service position was commander of the naval academy at Mürwik (Flensburg). He was accidentally shot and killed by a German sentry on the night of 13/14 May 1945. Lüth was given the last state funeral in the Third Reich, the only U-boat commander to be so commemorated. During his career Lüth sank 46 commercial ships for 225,204 GRT, one warship of 552 GRT, and damaged two ships for 17,343 GRT. His last patrol saw U-181 at sea for 206 days, patrolling the waters between Cape Town and Madagascar, making it the second-longest patrol of the war. ...more

Victor Oehrn was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the U-boats U-14 and U-37, sinking twenty-four ships on four patrols, for a total of 104,846 tons of Allied shipping, to stand 28th on the list of highest scoring U-Boat aces of World War II.Oehrn joined the Reichsmarine in 1927, serving aboard the light cruisers Königsberg and Karlsruhe, before being one of the first officers to transfer to the newly formed U-boat arm in July 1935. He was appointed to command of U-14 in January 1936, and patrolled in Spanish waters during the Civil War in July–September 1936. In August 1939 he joined the staff of BdU as an Admiralstabsoffizier. In May 1940 Oehrn took command of U-37, in order to restore trust in the G7e/T2 torpedo, which had performed abysmally, often detonating prematurely or not at all. In four patrols he sank 23 merchant ships for a total of 103,821 GRT, damaged another of 9,494 GRT, and sank the British sloop HMS Penzance, before returning to the staff in August. From November 1941 Oehrn served on the Mediterranean U-boat staff, but during a mission to North Africa in July 1942, he was severely wounded and captured. After recovering at a British Military Hospital in Alexandria, Oehrn was sent to POW Camp 306 on the Suez Canal. He returned to Germany in October 1943 after being released in a prisoner exchange. Oehrn spent the remainder of the war serving on the staff in a number of posts. As a U-boat commander of U-37 Victor is credited with the sinking of 23 ships for a total of 103,821 gross register tons (GRT), further damaging a ship of 9,494 GRT and sinking one warship, the HMS Penzance, of 1,025 metric tons (1,009 long tons; 1,130 short tons). ...more

Prof. Dr. Felix Zymalkowski was a German Schnellboot commander in World War II, as the commander of the 8th. He sunk several ships during the waqr. His awards include: Schnellbootsflotilla. Offizierkreuz des Spanisch-Marokkanischen Mehdauia-Ordens (5 November 1937), Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (1 April 1938), Spanish Cross in Bronze without Swords (6 June 1939), Marokko-Kalif-Majedi-Orden (6 July 1939), Memel Medal (26 October 1939), Sudetenland Medal (20 December 1939), Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (14 April 1940), 1st Class (6 March 1942), Fast Attack Craft War Badge (22 April 1941), High Seas Fleet Badge (22 July 1941), German Cross in Gold on 27 December 1943 as Korvettenkapitän in the 8. Schnellbootflottille, Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (5 July 1943) as chief of the 8. Schnellbootflottille, and the Order of the Cross of Liberty IV. Klasse (20 February 1942)....more

Klaus Bargsten was the captain and sole survivor of sunken U-521. In 1935 Bargsten entered the naval academy. As a midshipman, he served for a time on the Admiralty yacht Grille. This ship was frequently used by Hitler and other Nazi party leaders but, being only a humble midshipman, Bargsten had little contact with them. When the war began, he was serving at the U-Boot-Schule (submarine training school) in Neustadt. After a short time on U-6, he applied to be transferred to U-99. He was then posted to U-99 under Otto Kretschmer where he served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) for several patrols. He was a highly capable officer and Kretschmer recommended him for Commander Training and ultimately, for command of his own boat. He left U-99 in January 1941 and in March commissioned U-563 on March 27, 1941 and during battle against convoy HG-75, he sank a freighter, but unsuccessfully attacked a Royal Navy destroyer. On his second patrol he sank the British destroyer HMS Cossack. After the third patrol he left the boat on March 15, 1942 and three months later commissioned U-521 on June 3, 1942. On June 2, 1943 the United States submarine chaser PC-565 was 100 nautical miles (190 km) east of Cape Hatteras escorting convoy NG-355 when it picked up a sound contact. They had successfully made contact with U-521. PC-565 set the hydrostatic fuzes on her depth charges to 100 feet (30 m) and a pattern of five charges were dropped in a harassment action. he accuracy of the depth charges was devastating. Inside U-521, all instruments were shattered, all electrical circuit-breakers blown, and the diving planes and rudder were disabled. Cold seawater was coming down the main hatch. Bargsten gave the order to dive for cover. After a few seconds, Oberleutnant (Ing.) Henning reported that they were sinking. She was already down to 500 feet (150 m) and dropping rapidly. Even though it did not make sense to Bargsten that the U-boat could plummet so quickly, he gave the order to blow all ballast. The main depth gauge must have been knocked out by the depth charges. Before he knew it, the U-boat broke the surface. Bargsten snapped open the conning tower hatch and rushed outside to assess the situation.PC-565 was only a quarter mile away. She opened up with her 20 mm gun. Shells burst on and around the U-boat's conning tower. Realizing that U-521 was done for, Bargsten shouted down the conning tower to open the sea cocks and abandon ship. U-521 sank from under the Captain's feet with amazing speed. The last thing Bargsten saw as he looked down was a maelstrom of water pouring into the open hatch. U-521 was gone and Bargsten was left floating in the ocean alone. With professional conduct, PC-565 turned as U-521 sank under the surface. PC-565 dropped another depth charge. Huge bubbles of air rose to the surface. Oil and debris littered the surface, followed by large pieces of human remains. Bargsten rose to the surface and struggled swimming towards the nearest Allied ship. Ray Lankheim, a machine gunner of PC-565 had his 20 mm trained on this lone survivor of the crew as Bargsten was swimming for his life. Lankheim was under orders to 'kill them all' but he could not bring himself to shoot this lone man in the cold water, and so Bargsten survived the war. He spent more than three years in Allied captivity before being released in 1946....more