During World War II, a total of 145 Knights Cross medals were awarded to men of the U-Bootwaffe. These include:

71st was Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Dommes, C. O. of U-431. The award was made 2 December 1942.

72nd was Kapitänleutnant Hans Witt, Skipper of U-129. The award was made 17 December 1942.

73rd was Kapitänleutnant Werner Henke, Skipper of U-515. The award was made on 17 December 1942. It was when (then) Captain Dan Gallery, Commanding Officer of the USS GUADALCANAL Task Force, attacked and sank Henke’s U-515 in April 1944 that he realized the Type IX-C boats would remain afloat for some time, even when the sea valves were wide open to scuttle the boat. It was action that led Gallery to hit upon the plan to capture a German U-boat, which turned out to be U-505 on the 4th of June 1944. Later, when Henke was in PoW camp in the USA, he was ‘shot while trying to escape’ but in reality, he committed suicide by walking to the wire on a clear and sunny day, and slowly climbing the fence.

74th was Kapitänleutnant Hermann Rasch, Skipper of U-106. The award was made 29 December 1942.

We will see more Ritterkreuzträger (Knights Cross holders) in KTB #168 next month.

We still need the list of the American submariners who were decorated with the Navy Cross.