The Men - The Commander listing

Otto Kretschmer

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 30)

Successes
40 ships sunk for a total of 208.954 GRT
3 auxiliary warships sunk for a total of 46.440 GRT
1 warship sunk for a total of 1.375 tons
1 ship sunk for a total of 2.136 GRT
5 ships damaged for a total of 37.965 GRT
2 ships a total loss for a total of 15.513 GRT

Born	1 May, 1912	Heidau, Liegnitz
Died	5 Aug, 1998	Bavaria

Otto Kretschmer

Ranks

9 Oct, 1930	Seekadett
1 Jan, 1932	Fähnrich zur See
1 Apr, 1934	Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct, 1934	Leutnant zur See
1 Jun, 1936	Oberleutnant zur See
1 Jun, 1939	Kapitänleutnant
1 Mar, 1941	Korvettenkapitän
1 Sep, 1944	Fregattenkapitän

Decorations

17 Oct, 1939	Iron Cross 2nd Class
9 Nov, 1939	U-boat War Badge 1939
17 Dec, 1939	Iron Cross 1st Class
4 Aug, 1940	Knights Cross
4 Nov, 1940	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
26 Dec, 1941	Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Crossed Swords

U-boat Commands

U-35	31 Jul, 1937	-	15 Aug, 1937	No war patrols
U-23	1 Oct, 1937	-	1 Apr, 1940	8 patrols (102 days)
U-99	18 Apr, 1940	-	17 Mar, 1941	8 patrols (127 days)

Personal information

Kptlt. Kretschmer (right) after patrol on U-99
on the 21st July 1940 in Lorient (France)

Before the 17-year-old Otto Kretschmer began his naval career he spent eight months in Exeter, England where he mastered the English language. Beginning in April 1930 he went through the usual officer training, spending three months on the sailing school ship Niobe and more than a year on the light cruiser Emden.

He served on the light cruiser Köln starting in December 1934, and in January 1936 transferred to the U-boat force. Here he received a solid pre-war training as a U-boat officer. His first command was on U-35 and there he participated in a patrol in Spanish waters in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War.

In September 1937 he left U-35 and took over the Type II U-boat U-23. After the outbreak of the war he won his first successes with U-23 on some patrols in the North Sea in the area of the English and Scottish east coast.

In November 1939 he laid nine mines in Moray Firth, Scotland. The first great success for Otto Kretschmer was the sinking of the Danish tanker Danmark (10,517 tons) on 12 January 1940.

Just over a month later he sank the British destroyer HMS Daring (1,375 tons).

He left U-23 in April 1940 and in the same month commissioned U-99. After two months of training U-99 left Kiel for her first patrol in June 1940. In the course of the next patrols Otto Kretschmer became famous on his U-99 for his night-time surface attacks against convoys, and there his motto "One torpedo ... one ship" was created!

Kptlt. Kretschmer amidst the crew of U-99 after patrol enjoying the first bottle of beer.

Especially notable was the sinking of three British Armed Merchant Cruisers, Laurentic (18,724 tons), Patroclus (11,314 tons) and Forfar (16,402 tons) in November 1940 for a total of more than 46,000 tons. At that time Silent Otto became the "tonnage king" among U-boat men, never to be dethroned.

On his last patrol he was also very successful and attacked 10 ships. He was captured after scuttling U-99 at 0343hrs on 17 March, 1941 (Schepke was lost in the same battle) south-east of Iceland in approximate position 61N, 12W after depth charge damage inflicted by the British destroyer HMS Walker. Kretschmer managed to surface his badly damaged boat and save 40 out of his 43-man crew (his chief engineer died) before the boat sank again for the last time.

After his capture he spent more than six and a half years in British captivity. For more than four years he was held in Canada in Camp 30 (often referred to as Camp Bowmanville), from where he maintained contact with BdU. In December 1947 he returned to Germany.

In 1955 Otto Kretschmer joined the Bundesmarine (postwar German navy), in 1957 becoming commander of the 1. Geleitgeschwader (1st Escort Squadron). In November 1958 he became commander of the Amphibische Streitkräfte (Amphibian Forces). Starting in 1962 he served in several staff positions before becoming Chief of Staff of the NATO Command COMNAVBALTAP in May 1965, a position he held for four years. He retired in September 1970 with a rank of Flotillenadmiral.

During a vacation during the summer of 1998 Otto Kretschmer died in hospital in Bavaria after an accident.

You can listen to Silent Otto speaking of his experiences here.

Patrol info

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-23	25 Aug, 1939	Wilhelmshaven	4 Sep, 1939	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol	11 days
2.	U-23	9 Sep, 1939	Wilhelmshaven	21 Sep, 1939	Kiel	Patrol	13 days
3.	U-23	29 Sep, 1939	Kiel	16 Oct, 1939	Kiel	Patrol	18 days
4.	U-23	1 Nov, 1939	Kiel	9 Nov, 1939	Kiel	Patrol	9 days
5.	U-23	5 Dec, 1939	Kiel	15 Dec, 1939	Kiel	Patrol	11 days
6.	U-23	8 Jan, 1940	Kiel	15 Jan, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol	8 days
7.	U-23	18 Jan, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	29 Jan, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol	12 days
8.	U-23	9 Feb, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	28 Feb, 1940	Kiel	Patrol	20 days
9.	U-99	18 Jun, 1940	Kiel	25 Jun, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	Patrol	8 days
10.	U-99	27 Jun, 1940	Wilhelmshaven	21 Jul, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	25 days
11.	U-99	25 Jul, 1940	Lorient	5 Aug, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	12 days
12.	U-99	4 Sep, 1940	Lorient	25 Sep, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	22 days
13.	U-99	13 Oct, 1940	Lorient	22 Oct, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	10 days
14.	U-99	30 Oct, 1940	Lorient	8 Nov, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	10 days
15.	U-99	27 Nov, 1940	Lorient	12 Dec, 1940	Lorient	Patrol	16 days
16.	U-99	22 Feb, 1941	Lorient	17 Mar, 1941	Sunk	Patrol	24 days

Ships hit by Otto Kretschmer

Date	Boat	Name of ship	Tons	Nat.		Convoy	Fate *
4 Oct, 1939	U-23	Glen Farg	876		br
8 Dec, 1939	U-23	Scotia	2.400		da

11 Jan, 1940	U-23	Fredville	1.150		nw
12 Jan, 1940	U-23	Danmark	10.517		da		total loss
24 Jan, 1940	U-23	Varild	1.085		nw
18 Feb, 1940	U-23	HMS Daring (H 16)	1.375		br	HN-12
19 Feb, 1940	U-23	Tiberton	5.225		br
22 Feb, 1940	U-23	Loch Maddy	4.996		br	HX-19	total loss
5 Jul, 1940	U-99	Magog	2.053		ca	HX-52
7 Jul, 1940	U-99	Bissen	1.514		sw
7 Jul, 1940	U-99	Sea Glory	1.964		br
8 Jul, 1940	U-99	Humber Arm	5.758		br	HX-53
12 Jul, 1940	U-99	Ia	4.860		gr
12 Jul, 1940	U-99	Merisaar	2.136		es		captured
18 Jul, 1940	U-99	Woodbury	4.434		br
28 Jul, 1940	U-99	Auckland Star	13.212		br
29 Jul, 1940	U-99	Clan Menzies	7.336		br
31 Jul, 1940	U-99	Jamaica Progress	5.475		br
31 Jul, 1940	U-99	Jersey City	6.322		br	OB-191
2 Aug, 1940	U-99	Alexia	8.016		br	OB-191	damaged
2 Aug, 1940	U-99	Lucerna	6.556		br	OB-191	damaged
2 Aug, 1940	U-99	Strinda	10.973		nw	OB-191	damaged
11 Sep, 1940	U-99	Albionic	2.468		br
15 Sep, 1940	U-99	Kenordoc	1.780		ca	SC-3
16 Sep, 1940	U-99	Lotos	1.327		nw	SC-3
17 Sep, 1940	U-99	Crown Arun	2.372		br	HX-71
21 Sep, 1940	U-99	Baron Blythswood	3.668		br	HX-72
21 Sep, 1940	U-99	Elmbank	5.156		br	HX-72
21 Sep, 1940	U-99	Invershannon	9.154		br	HX-72
18 Oct, 1940	U-99	Empire Miniver	6.055		br	SC-7
18 Oct, 1940	U-99	Fiscus	4.815		br	SC-7
18 Oct, 1940	U-99	Niritos	3.854		gr	SC-7
19 Oct, 1940	U-99	Clintonia	3.106		br	SC-7	damaged
19 Oct, 1940	U-99	Empire Brigade	5.154		br	SC-7
19 Oct, 1940	U-99	Snefjeld	1.643		nw	SC-7
19 Oct, 1940	U-99	Thalia	5.875		gr	SC-7
3 Nov, 1940	U-99	Casanare	5.376		br
3 Nov, 1940	U-99	HMS Laurentic (F 51)	18.724		br
4 Nov, 1940	U-99	HMS Patroclus	11.314		br
5 Nov, 1940	U-99	Scottish Maiden	6.993		br	HX-83
2 Dec, 1940	U-99	HMS Forfar (F 30)	16.402		br	HX-90
2 Dec, 1940	U-99	Samnanger	4.276		nw
3 Dec, 1940	U-99	Conch	8.376		br	HX-90
7 Dec, 1940	U-99	Farmsum	5.237		nl	OB-252

7 Mar, 1941	U-99	Athelbeach	6.568		br	OB-293
7 Mar, 1941	U-99	Terje Viken	20.638		br	OB-293
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	Beduin	8.136		nw	HX-112
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	Ferm	6.593		nw	HX-112
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	Franche Comte	9.314		br	HX-112	damaged
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	J.B. White	7.375		ca	HX-112
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	Korshamn	6.673		sw	HX-112
16 Mar, 1941	U-99	Venetia	5.728		br	HX-112
			312.383
* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.