Willi Hertin,

born 11 September 1914 at Balve, Westphalia and was in Naval Class 1935.
Seconded to Luftwaffe August 1939 to May 1941;
Naval College at Mürwik June 1941 to January 1942;
U-Boat training February to June 1942;
Watch Officer and Kommandantenschüler aboard U-552 from June to August 1942;
U-Boat Commander’s Course with the 24th U-Bootflottille from September to October 1942;
Promoted to Kapitänleutnant 1 October 1942;
Baubelehrung 8.KLA October to November 1942;
Skipper U-647 from 5 November 1942 to 3 August 1943;
Hertin and his entire crew were lost without a trace on 3 August 1943 due to unknown causes in the area of the Faroes/Iceland.

Wolfgang Herwartz

, born 25 June 1917 at Hildesheim and was in Naval Class 1944.
Seconded to Luftwaffe October 1939 to June 1943;
U-Boat training July to December 1943;
U-Boat Commander’s Course with 23rd U-Bootflottille from December 1943 to March 1944;
Baubelehrung 1.KLA April to May 1944;
Promoted to Kapitänleutnant 1 August 1944;
Skipper of U-1302 from 25 May 1944 to 7 March 1945;
Hertin and his entire crew were lost 7 March 1945 when the boat was sunk in the St. George’s Channel by HMCS LaHULLOISE, HMCS STRATHADAM and HMCS THETFORD MINES.

Hermann Hesse

, born 10 March 1909 at Köln (Cologne) and was in Naval Class 1935.
Seconded to Luftwaffe, Bordfliegerstaffel 1./196 (aboard the naval oiler WESTERWALD and the light cruiser KARLSRUHE, also Course Leader Aircraft Weapons School (Sea) Bug/Rugen until October 1940;
U-Boat training October 1940 until February 1941;
Kommandantenschüler on U-46 February to April 1941;
U-Boat Commander’s Course 24th U-Bootflottille and Baubelehrung April to July 1941;
Commander of U-133 from 5 July 1941 to 1 March 1942;
Promoted to Kapitänleutnant 1 February 1942;
At 2/Adm. U-Boats March to April 1942;
Comp. CO 2.ULD April to November 1942;
Baubelehrung 8.KLA November 1942 to January 1943;
Commander of U-194 from 8 Jan 1943 to 24 June 1943.
Hesse and his entire crew were lost when U-194 was sunk by A/C from British 120 Squadron south of Iceland.

Hans Hornkohl

, born 7 April 1917 at Hamburg and was in Naval Class 1936.
Seconded to Luftwaffe (See) long-range naval reconnaissance from September 1939 to August 1941;
U-Boat training from August 1941 to January 1942;
3rd Flotilla from January to April 1942;
Kommandantenschuler aboard U-573 April to Dec. 1942;
U-Boat Commander’s Torpedo Course from December 1942 to January 1943;
Commander U-566 from 25 January to 24 October 1943;
Promoted to Kapitänleutnant 1 April 1943;
Baubelehrung 8.KLA December 1943 to January 1944;
Commander of U-1007 from 18 January to 9 July 1944;
Baubelehrung Type XXI 7.KLA training on U-3509 August to November 1944 but that boat was damaged dockside in the Schichau in Danzig and was later damaged further by striking a mine in the Bay of Danzig in November 1944. The entire crew, with Hornkohl still in command, was transferred to U-3512 which had been commissioned on 27 November 1944.
Commander U-3512 from November 1944 to April 1945;
Commanded U-2502 from 9 to 12 April 1945 for her transit voyage from Hamburg to Kiel;
Commander U-3041 from 27 April 1945 to surrender.
He was detained, then freed in August 1945.

Kurt Jensen

, born 23 February 1918 at Flensburg and was in the Naval Class 1937a.
Seconded to Luftwaffe October 1939 to December 1940;
U-Boat training January to July 1941;
Baubelehrung July to August 1941;
I.W.O. on U-376 from August 1941 to July 1942;
Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See on 1 September 1941;
U-Boat Commander’s Course 24th U-Bootflottille over August and September of 1942;
Baubelehrung 8.KLA over September and October 1942;
Commander U-644 from 15 October 1942 - 7 April 1943.
Jensen and his entire crew were lost when U-644 was torpedoed by HMS TUNA on 7 April 1943 west of Narvik.

There will be more in KTB #177 next month about U-Boat Skippers who were once fliers, thanks to CHUCK MYLES.

WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 170]
WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 172]
WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 173]
WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 174]
WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 175]
WWII Vom Seeflieger Zum U-bootfahrer From Naval Aviator to Submariner [KTB 176]