The 17th winner of the OAK LEAF CLUSTER to the KNIGHTS CROSS was K. K. KARL-FRIEDRICH MERTEN (23-+-1984). Born in Posen on 15 August, 1905 CAPT. MERTEN was in Crew (Naval Class) 26. He later was promoted to Kapitän zur See. He earned his KNIGHTS CROSS on 13 June, 1942 and his OAK LEAF CLUSTER on 16 November, 1942. He was the 17th U-Bootfahrer to win the OAK LEAVES; but was the 147th overall in the Wehrmacht (German Military forces) to win this award.

He is best remembered by the survivors of the ship CITY OF CAIRO that he sank for his parting comment. After he surfaced and made sure medical supplies, food, water etc were handed out to the lifeboats and he gave them courses for various landfalls, he said:

"Goodnight. Sorry for sinking you."

This is all on our TAPE H-8, the master of which we got initially directly from CAPTAIN MERTEN some years ago. He was with us for our 1988 CONVENTION in Germany and was a wonderfully fine gentleman.