Herbert Schneider
Encyclopedia
Herbert Schneider was a German
U-boat
commander in World War II
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is credited with the sinking of seven ships for a total of and further damaging two ships of .
on 8 April 1934 as a member "Crew 1934" (the incoming class of 1934).. After officer's training, he transferred to the Luftwaffe
and received air reconnaissance training in October 1936. In early 1939 (22 February 1939 – 30 April 1939), during the Spanish Civil War
, he spent a few months in Spain making eight sorties with the Aufklärungsgruppe See 88 (AS/88—88th sea reconnaissance group) of the "Legion Condor". In October 1940 he returned to the Kriegsmarine
. Over the next several months he received U-boat training and became the I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on the . After two patrols, he left to complete commander training, and it was then that he received the commission for the . During his first patrol in the North Atlantic he sank four ships, totalling 20,077 tons and damaged another vessel. During his second patrol, he sunk three ships sunk and damaged another. The U-522 was sunk by depth charges from the British cutter HMS Totland on 23 February, 1943, which resulted in the loss of all hands.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is credited with the sinking of seven ships for a total of and further damaging two ships of .
Career
Herbert Schneider began his naval career with the ReichsmarineReichsmarine
The Reichsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the Reichswehr, existing from 1918 to 1935...
on 8 April 1934 as a member "Crew 1934" (the incoming class of 1934).. After officer's training, he transferred to the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
and received air reconnaissance training in October 1936. In early 1939 (22 February 1939 – 30 April 1939), during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, he spent a few months in Spain making eight sorties with the Aufklärungsgruppe See 88 (AS/88—88th sea reconnaissance group) of the "Legion Condor". In October 1940 he returned to the Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
. Over the next several months he received U-boat training and became the I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on the . After two patrols, he left to complete commander training, and it was then that he received the commission for the . During his first patrol in the North Atlantic he sank four ships, totalling 20,077 tons and damaged another vessel. During his second patrol, he sunk three ships sunk and damaged another. The U-522 was sunk by depth charges from the British cutter HMS Totland on 23 February, 1943, which resulted in the loss of all hands.
Awards
- Observer BadgeObserver BadgeThe Observer Badge is a military badge of the United States military which dates to the First World War. The badge was issued to co-pilots, navigators, and flight support personnel who had received a variation on the training necessary for the standard Pilot's Badge...
(1 October 1937) - Wehrmacht Long Service AwardWehrmacht Long Service AwardThe Wehrmacht Long Service Award was a military service decoration of Nazi Germany issued for satisfactory completion of a given years of military service...
4th Class (8 April 1938) - Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
(1939)- 2nd Class (11 June 1940)
- 1st Class (4 December 1942)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(16 January 1943) - Mentioned in the WehrmachtberichtWehrmachtberichtThe Wehrmachtbericht was a daily radio report on the Großdeutscher Rundfunk of Nazi Germany, published by the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht regarding the military situation on all fronts of World War II....
on 21 November 1942