A German Navy Family

Three officers, same family. On the left is Vizeadmiral Thäter who, in World War I, commanded two U-boats and was then active as a Vice Admiral in World War II. In the center is our dear friend Kapitänleutnant (at the time) GERD THÄTER (194-LIFE-1986). He was commander of U-466 and towards the end of the War, commanded the Type XXI boat U-3506 which is still entombed in the ‘lost bunker’ in Hamburg. GERD retired from the Federal German Navy as a Fregattenkapitän. The young Fähnrich (midshipman) on the right is GERD’s younger brother who retired from the Federal German Navy as a Rear Admiral. Sadly, he began his ‘Eternal Patrol’ about a year ago, a victim of cancer.