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Gunter Jahn

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 31)


Successes
4 ships sunk for a total of 27.326 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 246 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 14.180 GRT

Born  27 Sep, 1910Hamburg
Died  12 Apr, 1992


Gunter Jahn

Ranks

14 Oct, 1931Seekadett
1 Jan, 1933Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan, 1935Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr, 1935Leutnant zur See
1 Jan, 1937Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct, 1939Kapitänleutnant
1 Nov, 1943Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

18 Oct, 1939Iron Cross 2nd Class
6 Oct, 1942Iron Cross 1st Class
6 Oct, 1942U-boat War Badge 1939
30 Apr, 1943Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-59613 Nov, 1941 - 27 Jul, 1943  6 patrols (137 days) 

Personal information

Gunter Jahn began his naval career in April 1931. Later he served for more than two years on the light cruiser Nürnberg, including nine patrols in the first year of the war. In March 1941 Jahn joined the U-boat force, his first patrol being on U-98 in September 1941.

In November of that year he commissioned U-596. On the boat's second patrol Jahn broke through the Straits of Gibraltar and then went on to become one of the most successful U-boat commanders in the Mediterranean. In July 1943 he left the boat and became the commander of the 29th flotilla. In September 1944 he fell into French captivity, where he spent nearly two years.


Patrol info


 U-boatDeparture Arrival  
1. U-596 25 Jun, 1942  Kiel 2 Jul, 1942  Kiel  8 days
2. U-596 25 Jul, 1942  Kiel 28 Jul, 1942  Bergen  4 days
3. U-596 8 Aug, 1942  Bergen 3 Oct, 1942  St. Nazaire Patrol,57 days
4. U-596 4 Nov, 1942  St. Nazaire 15 Nov, 1942  La Spezia Patrol,12 days
5. U-596 27 Jan, 1943  La Spezia 16 Feb, 1943  La Spezia Patrol,21 days
6. U-596 28 Feb, 1943  La Spezia 12 Mar, 1943  La Spezia Patrol,13 days
7. U-596 23 Mar, 1943  La Spezia 15 Apr, 1943  La Spezia Patrol,24 days
8. U-596 26 Apr, 1943  La Spezia 30 Apr, 1943  Pola  5 days
9. U-596 17 Jun, 1943  Pola 26 Jun, 1943  Pola Patrol,10 days

6 patrols, 137 days at sea

Ships hit by Gunter Jahn


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
16 Aug, 1942 U-596Suecia4.966 sw SC-95 
20 Sep, 1942 U-596Empire Hartebeeste5.676 br SC-100 
 
7 Feb, 1943 U-596HMS LCI(L)-162246 br 
9 Mar, 1943 U-596Empire Standard7.047 br KMS-10 damaged
9 Mar, 1943 U-596Fort Norman7.133 br KMS-10 damaged
30 Mar, 1943 U-596Fort a la Corne7.133 br ET-16 
30 Mar, 1943 U-596Hallanger9.551 nw ET-16 
 41.752

* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.


Decorations and ranks information is in many cases not complete. If you can help on any of those missing that would be great.

Listing of all U-boat commanders