The Men - The Commander listing

Heinrich Bleichrodt

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 33)

Successes
24 ships sunk for a total of 151.260 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1.060 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 11.684 GRT

Born	21 Oct, 1909	Berga, Kyffhäuser
Died	9 Jan, 1977	München, Germany

Kptlt. Heinrich Bleichrodt wearing his Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

Ranks

26 Jan, 1933	Offiziersanwärter
1 Apr, 1933	Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan, 1935	Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr, 1935	Leutnant zur See
1 Jan, 1937	Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct, 1939	Kapitänleutnant
1 Nov, 1943	Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

25 Jul, 1940	Iron Cross 2nd Class
24 Sep, 1940	U-boat War Badge 1939
25 Sep, 1940	Iron Cross 1st Class
24 Oct, 1940	Knights Cross
1 Nov, 1941	Italieniches Kriegskreuz mit Schwertern "Croce di Guerra Italiana al Valore Militare"
23 Sep, 1942	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
Oct, 1942	U-boat War Badge with Diamonds
1 Jan, 1945	War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords

U-boat Commands

U-48	4 Sep, 1940	-	16 Dec, 1940	2 patrols (41 days)
U-67	22 Jan, 1941	-	4 Jun, 1941	No war patrols
U-109	5 Jun, 1941	-	31 Jan, 1943	6 patrols (364 days)

Personal information

After a time on the cadet ship Gorch Fock and on the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, Kapitänleutnant 'Ajax' Bleichrodt began his U-boat career in October 1939. After the usual training, his first command was on the small training-boat U-8. In June/July 1940 he completed one patrol as IWO with U-34 under the later Knights Cross holder Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann. They sank eight ships for a total of 22,434 tons.

In August 1940 he took command of U-48, and on 8 September, 1940 he began his first patrol as a commander. Aboard as his IWO was Teddy Suhren, who later received the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Together they sank eight ships for a total of 36,189 tons.

On 21 September, 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:

Das unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt stehende Unterseeboot hat neun Dampfer mit insgesamt 51.862 BRT versenkt.

The U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank nine merchant ships for a total of 51,862 tons.

[Note that this is a case where a wartime claim differs from a postwar-verified number.]

The second patrol of 'Ajax' Bleichrodt with U-48 in October 1940 was also a great success with eight ships sunk for a total of 43,106 tons.

On 18 October, 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht once more announced:

Ein Unterseeboot unter Führung vom Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt ..., hat auf seiner letzten Unternehmung insgesamt 42.000 BRT feindlichen Handelsschiffraum versenkt.

A U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank a total of 42,000 tons of enemy shipping on his most recent patrol.

Three days before the return from that patrol, U-48 received a radio transmission regarding a Knights Cross which had been awarded. When Bleichrodt learned that it was for him, he refused to wear his new medal until his IWO Oberleutnant z. S. Teddy Suhren received one as well, since Suhren had overseen all surface shooting on previous missions. Thus on 3 November, 1940 Suhren became the first IWO to receive the Knights Cross for his "outstanding part in the sinking of more then 200,000 tons".

In Autumn 1940 Bleichrodt left U-48 and in January 1941 commissioned U-67. Then in June 1941 he took over command of U-109. In the course of six patrols he sank 13 ships for a total of some 80,000 tons and received the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross. After five months in the 27th U-Bootflottille, Bleichrodt served one year in the 2nd ULD (U-boat training division) as tactical instructor for the officers, starting in July 1943. From July 1944 to the end of the war he was Chief of the 22nd U-Bootflottille.

Patrol info

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-48	8 Sep, 1940	Lorient	25 Sep, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	18 days
2.	U-48	5 Oct, 1940	Lorient	27 Oct, 1940	Kiel	Patrol	23 days
3.	U-109	28 Jun, 1941	Lorient	17 Aug, 1941	Lorient	Patrol	51 days
4.	U-109	21 Sep, 1941	Lorient	22 Sep, 1941	Lorient		2 days
5.	U-109	5 Oct, 1941	Lorient	18 Nov, 1941	Lorient	Patrol	45 days
6.	U-109	27 Dec, 1941	Lorient	23 Feb, 1942	Lorient	Patrol	59 days
7.	U-109	25 Mar, 1942	Lorient	3 Jun, 1942	Lorient	Patrol	71 days
8.	U-109	18 Jul, 1942	Lorient	6 Oct, 1942	Lorient	Patrol	81 days
9.	U-109	28 Nov, 1942	Lorient	23 Jan, 1943	St. Nazaire	Patrol	57 days

Ships hit by Heinrich Bleichrodt

Date	Boat	Name of ship	Tons	Nat.		Convoy	Fate *
15 Sep, 1940	U-48	Alexandros	4.343		gr	SC-3
15 Sep, 1940	U-48	Empire Volunteer	5.319		br	SC-3
15 Sep, 1940	U-48	HMS Dundee (L 84)	1.060		br	SC-3
18 Sep, 1940	U-48	City of Benares	11.081		br	OB-213
18 Sep, 1940	U-48	Magdalena	3.118		br	SC-3
18 Sep, 1940	U-48	Marina	5.088		br	OB-213
21 Sep, 1940	U-48	Blairangus	4.409		br	HX-72
21 Sep, 1940	U-48	Broompark	5.136		br	HX-72	damaged
11 Oct, 1940	U-48	Brandanger	4.624		nw	HX-77
11 Oct, 1940	U-48	Port Gisborne	8.390		br	HX-77
12 Oct, 1940	U-48	Davanger	7.102		nw	HX-77
17 Oct, 1940	U-48	Languedoc	9.512		br	SC-7
17 Oct, 1940	U-48	Scoresby	3.843		br	SC-7
18 Oct, 1940	U-48	Sandsend	3.612		br	OB-228
20 Oct, 1940	U-48	Shirak	6.023		br	HX-79

23 Jan, 1942	U-109	Thirlby	4.887		br	SC-66
1 Feb, 1942	U-109	Tacoma Star	7.924		br
5 Feb, 1942	U-109	Montrolite	11.309		ca
6 Feb, 1942	U-109	Halcyon	3.531		pa
20 Apr, 1942	U-109	Harpagon	5.719		br
1 May, 1942	U-109	La Paz	6.548		br		damaged
3 May, 1942	U-109	Laertes	5.825		nl
7 Aug, 1942	U-109	Arthur W. Sewall	6.030		nw
11 Aug, 1942	U-109	Vimeira	5.728		br
3 Sep, 1942	U-109	Ocean Might	7.173		br	OS-37
6 Sep, 1942	U-109	Tuscan Star	11.449		br
17 Sep, 1942	U-109	Peterton	5.221		br	OG-80
			164.004
* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.