Victor Oehrn

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 27)


Successes
23 ships sunk, total tonnage 103,760 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,025 tons
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 9,494 GRT

Born  21 Oct 1907 Kedabeg, Caucasus, Russia
Died  26 Dec 1997(90)Bonn, Germany


Victor Oehrn

Ranks

11 Oct 1927 Seekadett
1 Apr 1929 Fähnrich zur See
1 Jun 1931 Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1931 Leutnant zur See
1 Jul 1933 Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1936 Kapitänleutnant
1 Sep 1941 Korvettenkapitän
1 May 1944 Fregattenkapitän

Decorations

27 Jan 1940 Iron Cross 2nd Class
10 Jun 1940 Iron Cross 1st Class
21 Oct 1940 Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-boatFromTo
U-14 18 Jan 1936 4 Oct 1937   No war patrols 
U-37 6 May 1940 26 Oct 1940   4 patrols (81 days) 

Victor Oehrn
Kptlt. Oehrn amidst the crew of U-37.

Victor Oehrn joined the Reichsmarine in 1927. He spent his first years mostly on the light cruisers Königsberg and Karlsruhe, but then was one of the first officers to transfer to the newly commissioned U-boat force in July 1935. After a short program of U-boat training, he became commander of U-14 in January 1936, taking the boat into Spanish waters during the Civil War in July/September 1936.

After a year in officer training units he finished as one of the few U-boat officers in the German Marine-Akademie in summer 1939. In August 1939 he became an Asto (Admiralstabsoffizier, Admiral staff officer) on the staff of Dönitz (BdU org).

Following the torpedo malfunctions crisis during and after the invasion of Norway, Kptlt. Oehrn was sent on patrol with U-37 to restore the U-boat men's trust in their torpedoes. This patrol became a great success when he sank ten ships with a total of 41,207 tons and torpedoed and damaged another of 9,494 tons.

His second patrol (seven ships with a total of 28,439 tons) and third patrol (six ships with a total of 28,210 tons) were also successful, and he was awarded the Knights Cross in October 1940 during the third patrol.

Victor Oehrn
Korvkpt. Oehrn during his
North African mission

For the next year Victor Oehrn served as 1st Asto on the staff of Dönitz (BdU org). In November 1941 he took over command of the Mediterranean U-boats, and in February 1942 became 1st Asto on the Mediterranean U-boat staff.

During a mission in North Africa in July 1942, Victor Oehrn was captured after being severely wounded, and ended up in the British General Hospital 19 at Alexandria, Egypt. Later he was sent to POW Camp 306 near the Bitter Lakes on the Suez Canal. He was released in an exchange of prisoners in October 1943 and returned to Germany via Port Said, Barcelona and Marseilles in November 1943.

For the remainder of the war he served in staff positions.

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1999). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).
Rohwer, J. (1998). Axis Submarine Successes of World War Two.

Patrol info for Victor Oehrn

 U-boat Departure Arrival  
1. U-37 15 May 1940  Wilhelmshaven  9 Jun 1940  Wilhelmshaven  Patrol 1,26 days
2. U-37 1 Aug 1940  Wilhelmshaven  12 Aug 1940  Lorient  Patrol 2,12 days
3. U-37 17 Aug 1940  Lorient  30 Aug 1940  Lorient  Patrol 3,14 days
4. U-37 24 Sep 1940  Lorient  22 Oct 1940  Lorient  Patrol 4,29 days
4 patrols, 81 days at sea

Ships hit by Victor Oehrn

Date U-boat Name of ship Tons Nat. Convoy
19 May 1940U-37 Erik Frisell5,066sw
22 May 1940U-37 Dunster Grange (d.)9,494br
24 May 1940U-37 Kyma3,994gr
27 May 1940U-37 Sheaf Mead5,008br
27 May 1940U-37 Uruguay3,425ar
28 May 1940U-37 Brazza10,387fr60-XF
28 May 1940U-37 Julien116fr
29 May 1940U-37 Marie José2,477fr
29 May 1940U-37 Telena7,406br
1 Jun 1940U-37 Ioanna950grHG-32F
3 Jun 1940U-37 Snabb2,317fi
8 Aug 1940U-37 Upwey Grange9,130br
23 Aug 1940U-37 Keret1,718nwOA-200
23 Aug 1940U-37 Severn Leigh5,242brOA-200
24 Aug 1940U-37 Brookwood5,100brOA-200
24 Aug 1940U-37 HMS Penzance (L 28)1,025brSC-1
25 Aug 1940U-37 Blairmore4,141brSC-1
25 Aug 1940U-37 Yewcrest3,774brOB-201
27 Aug 1940U-37 Theodoros T.3,409gr
27 Sep 1940U-37 Georges Mabro2,555ag
28 Sep 1940U-37 Corrientes6,863brOB-217
30 Sep 1940U-37 Samala5,390br
30 Sep 1940U-37 Heminge2,499brOB-220
6 Oct 1940U-37 British General6,989brOA-222
13 Oct 1940U-37 Stangrant5,804brHX-77
 114,279

24 ships sunk (104,785 tons) and 1 ship damaged (9,494 tons).

Legend
We have a picture of this vessel.
(d.) means the ship was damaged.

Media links


U-Boat Attack Logs

Daniel Morgan and Bruce Taylor


amazon.co.uk
(£ 38.25)


German U-boat Commanders of World War II

Busch, Rainer and Röll, Hans-Joachim


Silent Hunters

Savas, Theodore P. (editor)


Wolf

Vause, Jordan

Listing of all U-boat commanders


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