Walther Kölle

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 26)


Successes
7 ships sunk, total tonnage 31,352 GRT

Born  3 Aug 1907 Ulm
Died  10 Jan 1992(84)


Ranks

26 Oct 1926 Seekadett
1 Apr 1928 Fähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1930 Leutnant zur See
1 Apr 1933 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr 1936 Kapitänleutnant
1 Apr 1941 Korvettenkapitän
1 Mar 1945 Fregattenkapitän

Decorations

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-154 2 Aug 1941 7 Oct 1942   3 patrols (164 days) 

Walther Kölle joined the German Navy (Reichsmarine) in 1926. He served on the heavy cruiser Graf Spee until August 1939 as was thus not on its famous patrol into the South Atlantic. Kölle was stationed at the Naval College at Mürwik from Sept 1939 to Aug 1940 when he became the senior naval officer of the base Flushing until Oct when he joined the U-boat force.

From Nov 1940 to July 1941 Walther Kölle went through U-boat training, he then familiarized himself with a new U-boat (Baubelehrung) at Bremen, Germany from July until he took command of the new U-boat type IXC boat U-154 on 2 Aug 1941.

KrvKpt Walther Kölle commanded the U-154 on 3 patrols. His first was short and without success but his second, into the Caribbean, was successful as he sank 5 ships for almost 29,000 GRT during his 60 days at sea. His third patrol was even longer at 81 days, also into the Caribbean and then Gulf of Mexico but this time he only sank 2 ships for 2,600 GRT.

When arriving to France after the third patrol in late August 1942 Kölle was sent to other assignments and his boat was given to Heinrich Shuch whose boat U-105 had just been bombed and seriously damaged (Blair, 1996).

Walther Kölle would serve in several staff positions to the end of the war. During Jan - Sept 1944 he was First Officer on the proposed merchant raider Hansa but the ship never sailed.

Sources

Blair, C. (1996). Hitler’s U-boat War. The Hunters, 1939-1942.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Walther Kölle

 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-154 7 Feb 1942  Kiel  1 Mar 1942  Lorient  Patrol 1,23 days
2. U-154 11 Mar 1942  Lorient  9 May 1942  Lorient  Patrol 2,60 days
3. U-154 4 Jun 1942  Lorient  23 Aug 1942  Lorient  Patrol 3,81 days
3 patrols, 164 days at sea

Ships hit by Walther Kölle

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
4 Apr 1942U-154 Comol Rico5,034am
5 Apr 1942U-154 Catahoula5,030am
12 Apr 1942U-154 Delvalle5,032am
13 Apr 1942U-154 Empire Amethyst8,032br
20 Apr 1942U-154 Vineland5,587ca
28 Jun 1942U-154 Tillie Lykes2,572am
6 Jul 1942U-154 Lalita65pa
 31,352

7 ships sunk (31,352 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


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