The Men - The Commander listing

Günther Krech

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 33)


Successes
17 ships sunk for a total of 93,186 GRT
1 auxiliary warship sunk for a total of 913 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 925 tons
2 ships damaged for a total of 15,070 GRT
1 ship a total loss for a total of 6,672 GRT

Born  21 Sep 1914 Wilhelmshaven
Died  3 Jun 2000(85)


Günther Krech

Ranks

23 Sep 1933Seekadett
1 Jul 1934Fähnrich zur See
1 Aug 1936Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1936Leutnant zur See
1 Jun 1938Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr 1941Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

26 Sep 1940Iron Cross 1st Class
26 Sep 1941U-boat War Badge 1939
17 Sep 1942Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-558 20 Feb 1941 20 Jul 1943   10 patrols (437 days) 

Personal information

Günther Krech began his naval career in April 1933. Later, like Reinhard Hardegen and some other naval officers, he served for four years in the German Luftwaffe. In November 1939 Krech returned to the Kriegsmarine and began U-boat training. He received his first combat experiences on U-100 under Kptlt. Schepke. He left the boat in November 1940 and in February 1941 commissioned U-558.

Günther Krech 2
Günther Krech after patrol

On ten patrols, mostly in the Atlantic and in Caribbean waters, he sank more than 20 ships. U-558 was sunk by US aircraft on 20 July, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay. Only the commander, the LI and three men of the gun crew survived the sinking. Günther Krech then spent a few years in Allied captivity.

Patrol info for Günther Krech


 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-558 1 Jun 1941  Kiel  9 Jul 1941  Brest  Patrol 1,39 days
2. U-558 28 Jul 1941  Brest  7 Aug 1941  Brest  Patrol 2,11 days
3. U-558 25 Aug 1941  Brest  16 Sep 1941  Brest  Patrol 3,23 days
4. U-558 11 Oct 1941  Brest  25 Oct 1941  Brest  Patrol 4,15 days
5. U-558 24 Nov 1941  Brest  7 Dec 1941  Brest  Patrol 5,14 days
6. U-558 10 Feb 1942  Brest  11 Mar 1942  Brest  Patrol 6,30 days
7. U-558 12 Apr 1942  Brest  21 Jun 1942  Brest  Patrol 7,71 days
8. U-558 29 Jul 1942  Brest  16 Oct 1942  Brest  Patrol 8,80 days
9. U-558 9 Jan 1943  Brest  29 Mar 1943  Brest  Patrol 9,80 days
10. U-558 8 May 1943  Brest  20 Jul 1943  Sunk  Patrol 10,74 days
10 patrols, 437 days at sea

Ships hit by Günther Krech


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
28 Aug, 1941 U-558 Otaio10,298  br  OS-4 
15 Oct, 1941 U-558 Vancouver Island9,472  ca  
17 Oct, 1941 U-558 Erviken6,595  nw  SC-48 
17 Oct, 1941 U-558 HMS Gladiolus (K 34)925  br  SC-48 
17 Oct, 1941 U-558 Rym1,369  nw  SC-48 
17 Oct, 1941 U-558 W.C. Teagle9,552  br  SC-48 
 
24 Feb, 1942 U-558 Anadara8,009  br  ONS-67 damaged
24 Feb, 1942 U-558 Eidanger9,432  nw  ONS-67 
24 Feb, 1942 U-558 Inverarder5,578  br  ONS-67 
12 May, 1942 U-558 HMS Bedfordshire (FY 141)913  br  
18 May, 1942 U-558 Fauna1,254  nl  
21 May, 1942 U-558 Troisdoc1,925  ca  
23 May, 1942 U-558 William Boyce Thompson7,061  am  damaged
25 May, 1942 U-558 Beatrice3,451  am  
27 May, 1942 U-558 Jack2,622  am  
2 Jun, 1942 U-558 Triton2,078  nl  
25 Aug, 1942 U-558 Amakura1,987  br  WAT-15 
13 Sep, 1942 U-558 Empire Lugard7,241  br  TAG-5 
13 Sep, 1942 U-558 Suriname7,915  nl  TAG-5 
13 Sep, 1942 U-558 Vilja6,672  nw  TAG-5 total loss
16 Sep, 1942 U-558 Commercial Trader2,606  am  
 
23 Feb, 1943 U-558 Empire Norseman9,811  br  UC-1 
 116,766

* 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