Axel-Olaf Loewe

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 28)


Successes
7 ships sunk, total tonnage 37,832 GRT

Born  3 Jan 1909 Kiel
Died  18 Dec 1984(75)


Ranks

1 Jun 1942Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-505 26 Aug 1941 5 Sep 1942   3 patrols (182 days) 

Axel-Olaf Loewe joined the German Navy (Reichsmarine) in 1928. He served with the Naval Academy until Sept 1939. From Oct 1939 to Oct 1940 he was on staff of OKW/Wehrmacht.

Kptlt. Loewe began his U-boat training in Nov 1940 and finished in April 1941. He was sent as U-boat commander in training on the U-74 (Kentrat) during a patrol from 8 - 30 May 1941. Having gained valuable sea experience on combat U-boat he was sent to further familiarize himself with U-boats (Baubelehrung) during July - Aug 1941.

Kptlt. Axel-Olaf Loewe commissioned the new type IXC boat U-505 on 26 August 1941. He was very successful with this large boat during his 13 months of command, sinking 7 ships for almost 38,000 GRT on 3 patrols. On his second patrol he sank 4 ships during 86 days were he went deep into the South Atlantic.

On leaving the U-505 on 5 Sept 1941, to Oblt. Peter Zschech who would take part in making the boat famous for all the wrong reasons, he served on the operations staff of U-boat high command (BdU) until July 1944.

From July 1944 to April 1945 he served with the ministry for armaments and production (under Speer). He ended the war serving in a naval anti-tank regiment. After the surrender he was detained but let free on 30 Dec 1945.

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Axel-Olaf Loewe


 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-505 19 Jan 1942  Kiel  3 Feb 1942  Lorient  Patrol 1,16 days
2. U-505 11 Feb 1942  Lorient  7 May 1942  Lorient  Patrol 2,86 days
3. U-505 7 Jun 1942  Lorient  25 Aug 1942  Lorient  Patrol 3,80 days
3 patrols, 182 days at sea

Ships hit by Axel-Olaf Loewe

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
5 Mar 1942U-505 Benmohr5,920br
6 Mar 1942U-505 Sydhav7,587nw
3 Apr 1942U-505 West Irmo5,775am
4 Apr 1942U-505 Alphacca5,759nl
28 Jun 1942U-505 Sea Thrush5,447am
29 Jun 1942U-505 Thomas McKean7,191am
22 Jul 1942U-505 Urious153co
 37,832

7 ships sunk (37,832 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.

Media links


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim

Listing of all U-boat commanders