Günther Krech
Günther Krech
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File:Günther Krech.jpg | |
Born | Wilhelmshaven |
21 September 1914
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Wuppertal |
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/ |
Kriegsmarine |
Years of service | 1933–45 |
Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
Unit | SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Karlsruhe Küstenfliegerstaffel 1./106 U-5, U-100 |
Commands held | U-558 |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Günther Krech (21 September 1914 in Wilhelmshaven – 3 June 2000 in Wuppertal) was a German U-boat commander in Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine during World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. As commander of U-558 he sank nineteen ships, totalling 100,771 tons, and damaged two ships (15,070 tons). He is thirty-third in the list of U-Boat aces of World War II.
Contents
Career
Krech joined the Reichsmarine in April 1933, initially training as an observer and pilot in the Marineflieger before transferring to the U-boat arm in November 1939. Krech conducted ten combat patrols in the Atlantic and Caribbean. He sank 18 merchant ships and the naval trawler HMT Bedfordshire, which was assisting the US Navy with anti-submarine patrols along the East Coast, for a total of 100,771 tons. He also damaged two merchant ships for a total of 15,070 GRT.[1]
U-558 was sunk by depth charges from a Halifax from No. 58 Squadron RAF, and a B-24 Liberator from 19th Antisubmarine Squadron USAAF on 20 July 1943 in the Bay of Biscay, north-west of Cape Ortegal, Spain.[2] Only Krech, the Leitender Ingenieur ("Leading Engineer"), and three men of the gun crew survived. Krech remained in Allied captivity until after the war. He died in 2000.[1]
Summary of career
Ships attacked
Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage | Convoy | Fate |
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28 August 1941 | Otaio | United Kingdom | 10,298 | OS 4 | Sunk |
15 October 1941 | Vancouver Island | Canada | 9,472 | Sunk | |
17 October 1941 | Erviken | Norway | 6,595 | SC 48 | Sunk |
17 October 1941 | Rym | Norway | 1,369 | SC 48 | Sunk |
17 October 1941 | W.C. Teagle | United Kingdom | 9,552 | SC 48 | Sunk |
24 February 1942 | Anadara | United Kingdom | 8,009 | ONS 67 | Damaged |
24 February 1942 | Eidanger | Norway | 9,432 | ONS 67 | Sunk |
24 February 1942 | Inverarder | United Kingdom | 5,578 | ONS 67 | Sunk |
12 May 1942 | HMT Bedfordshire | United Kingdom | 913 | Sunk | |
18 May 1942 | Fauna | Netherlands | 1,254 | Sunk | |
21 May 1942 | Troisdoc | Canada | 1,925 | Sunk | |
23 May 1942 | William Boyce Thompson | United States | 7,061 | Damaged | |
25 May 1942 | Beatrice | United States | 3,451 | Sunk | |
27 May 1942 | USAT Jack | United States Army | 2,622 | Sunk | |
2 June 1942 | Triton | Netherlands | 2,078 | Sunk | |
25 August 1942 | Amakura | United Kingdom | 1,987 | WAT 15 | Sunk |
13 September 1942 | Empire Lugard | United Kingdom | 7,241 | TAG 5 | Sunk |
13 September 1942 | Suriname | Netherlands | 7,915 | TAG 5 | Sunk |
13 September 1942 | Vilja | Norway | 6,672 | TAG 5 | Damaged, arrived safely Trinidad then later declared total loss[3] |
16 September 1942 | Commercial Trader | United States | 2,606 | Total loss | |
23 February 1943 | Empire Norseman | United Kingdom | 9,811 | UC 1 | Sunk |
Awards
- Luftwaffe Observation Badge (2 November 1936)[4]
- Memel Medal (9 May 1940)[5]
- Sudetenland Medal (3 September 1940)[5]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (26 September 1940)[5]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 17 September 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-558[6][7]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 26 February 1942
Wehrmachtbericht references
Date | Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording | Direct English translation |
---|---|---|
Thursday, 26 February 1942 | Wie durch Sondermeldung bekanntgegeben, versenkten deutsche Unterseeboote im Mittelatlantik in tagelangen hartnäckigen Kämpfen aus einem stark gesicherten Geleitzug sieben Schiffe, darunter zwei große Tanker, mit zusammen 52 000 BRT. Weitere sechs große Schiffe, darunter ein Tanker, wurden so schwer beschädigt, daß auch mit ihrem Verlust zu rechnen ist. Bei diesen Angriffen zeichnete sich das Unterseeboot unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Krech besonders aus.[8] |
As announced by special bulletin, German submarines sunk in the mid-Atlantic in days of tenacious fighting from a heavily protected convoy seven ships, including two large tankers, with a total of 52 000 GRT. Another six large ships, including a tanker were so badly damaged that their loss can be assumed. In these attacks, the submarine under the command of Lieutenant Captain Krech particularly distinguished itself. |
References
- Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 260.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 261.
- ↑ Scherzer 2007, p. 473.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 273.
- ↑ Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, p. 43.
- Bibliography
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External links
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- Pages with broken file links
- Articles containing German-language text
- 1914 births
- 2000 deaths
- People from Wilhelmshaven
- Kriegsmarine personnel
- U-boat commanders
- Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
- Military personnel referenced in the Wehrmachtbericht
- German prisoners of war
- Reichsmarine personnel
- People from the Province of Hanover