During WW II, only 29 U-Bootfahrer received this Knights Cross with Oak Leaf (der Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub).

Großadmiral Karl Dönitz and twenty-eight U-Boat commanders were thus decorated in World War II.

This award was not handed out freely. In the early stages of the war, it required the sinking of two capitol ships or a combined total of 200,000 tons of shipping.

Naturally, there were exceptions to this rule depending on a great many factors.

Gunther Prien

1st was awarded to Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien, commander of U-47. The award was made 20 October 1940.

Prien is seen here on the cover of a German magazine on his return from Scapa Flow in 1939. The caption, in German, states; “Hello Mother. I just sank a battleship.”

He was referring to HMS ROYAL OAK, for which he received his Knights Cross.

Otto Kretschmer

The 2nd Oak Leaf was awarded to Kplt. OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1985), Skipper of U-23 and U-99, the boat of the famous “Golden Horseshow”. The award was made on 4 November 1940. This photo is upon the first playing of the “Kretschmer Marsch”, no longer allowed in Germany.

For us to list all the accomplishments of ‘Silent’ OTTO would require more space than our entire KTB issue. Let us just say that he was not only the most successful combat submarine Skipper of World War II, and we also say that he was one of the finest men we have ever met.

We are proud to have been his friend and to have him such a solid supporter of Sharkhunters.

Joachim Schepke

The 3rd Oak Leaf was awarded to Joachim Schepke, Skipper of U-100 and the award was made 1 December 1940. He was lost when his submarine depth charged by the Royal Navy destroyers HMS VANOC and HMS WALKER, and then was rammed by HMS VANOC.

These three were the three top “Aces” of the U-Bootwaffe and their loss, all in the span of ten days, was a blow to Dönitz and the entire U-Waffe. Prien was lost on 7 March 1941, KRETSCHMER and Schepke were lost on 17 March 1941 and Schepke was killed.