U-boat War Badge
Encyclopedia
The U-Boat War Badge was a German
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...

 war badge that was awarded to 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...

 crew members during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 and 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...

.

History

The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols. The badge was worn on the lower left side of the uniform and was oval shaped resembling a wreath of laurel leaves. A submarine lay across the center and the Prussian Crown was inlaid at the top center of the wreath.

On October 13, 1939, the U-boat War Badge was reinstituted again, shortly after the war began. It was very similar to the original badge with the exception of the Prussian crown which was replaced with a German Eagle, a swastika was added, and a more modernized submarine now facing towards the left was used.

There were several ways to be awarded this medal. The most common would be the completion of two war patrols. Although the completion of two war patrols might seem a lowly requirement, but a typical U-boat war cruise would often run into months at a time. As a contrast, the Infantry Assault Badge
Infantry Assault Badge
The Infantry Assault Badge was a German war badge awarded to Waffen SS and Wehrmacht Heer soldiers during WWII. This decoration was instituted on December 20th 1939 by the Oberstbefehlshaber des Heeres, Generalfeldmarschall von Brauchitsch...

 was awarded after three combat actions, which meant that they could be earned on three separate actions all under a week. Completing two war patrols was not only longer, but it was equally dangerous as the U-boat has to endure constant attacks by allied aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...

 and warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...

s.

During the later part of the war, U-boat losses were so great that many crewmen never made it past the second war patrol. The other occasion when this badge was awarded was on completion of an especially successful first patrol or having been wounded or killed in action. In the event of death, the award was presented to the next of kin
Next of kin
Next of kin is a term with many interpretations depending on the jurisdiction being referred to. In some jurisdictions, such as the United States, it is used to describe a person's closest living blood relative or relatives...

.

Classes

The award was bestowed in two classes:

U-Boat War Badge

The U-boat War Badge was given usually after two war patrols. Some of the very successful commanders were awarded the badge after only one patrol, like Rolf Thomsen
Rolf Thomsen
Rolf Thomsen was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise...

 onboard U-1202.

U-boat War Badge with Diamonds

The U-boat War Badge with Diamonds was a special issue award given to U-boat commanders who had received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. This award was not given based on certain merits and was not an official war decoration, but instead it was given as an additional token of regard to Oak Leaves recipients. It was usually presented after the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was awarded.

It was instituted in 1941 and the badge was similar in design to the U-boat War Badge. Manufactured by the firm of Schwerin in Berlin, it was made of gilding silver and had nine small diamonds inlaid on the swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...

 with the medal. Approximately 30 were awarded with Admiral Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz
Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...

 being one of the recipients. However, he uniquely wore a special version in which the wreath as well as the swastika was inlaid with diamonds. Dönitz also wore his WWI U-Boat War Badge alongside this badge on his uniform.

Recipients of the U-boat War badge with Diamonds

  1. Fregattenkapitän Albrecht Brandi
    Albrecht Brandi
    Albrecht Brandi was a German U-boat commander in World War II. Together with Wolfgang Lüth he was the only Kriegsmarine sailor who was awarded with the Knight's cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds...

  2. Korvettenkapitän Heinrich Bleichrodt
    Heinrich Bleichrodt
    Lieutenant Commander Heinrich Bleichrodt was one of the most successful German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From October 1939 until retiring from front line service in December 1943, he sank 25 ships for a total of . For this he received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, among other...

  3. Korvettenkapitän Otto von Bülow
    Otto von Bülow
    Otto von Bülow was a German U-boat commander in World War II, and a captain in the German Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

  4. Admiral
    Admiral
    Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

    Karl Dönitz
    Karl Dönitz
    Karl Dönitz was a German naval commander during World War II. He started his career in the German Navy during World War I. In 1918, while he was in command of , the submarine was sunk by British forces and Dönitz was taken prisoner...

     (special grade)
  5. Korvettenkapitän Carl Emmermann
    Carl Emmermann
    Lieutenant Commander Carl Emmermann was a German U-boat commander during World War II. In his time as commander, he succeeded in sinking 27 ships for a total tonnage of .Emmermann began his naval career in 1934...

     on 1 October 1943
  6. Kapitanleutnant Engelbert Endrass
    Engelbert Endrass
    Lieutenant Engelbert Endrass was a German U-boat commander in World War II. He commanded the Type VIIB U-boat and the Type VIIC , sinking twenty-two ships on ten patrols, for a total of 118,528 tons of Allied shipping, to become the 23rd highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II...

     on 18 July 1941
  7. Kapitänleutnant Friedrich Guggenberger
    Friedrich Guggenberger
    Friedrich Guggenberger was a German U-boat commander of the Second World War, and was highly successful during this period. From November 1940 until his capture in July 1943, he sank 17 ships for a total of and damaged another for . He was also responsible for sinking the British aircraft carrier...

  8. Korvettenkapitän Robert Gysae
    Robert Gysae
    Robert Gysae was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded and , sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of tons of Allied shipping, to become the fifteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II.-Career:Gysae joined the Reichsmarine in 1931...

  9. Korvettenkapitän Reinhard Hardegen
    Reinhard Hardegen
    Lieutenant Commander Reinhard Hardegen is a German U-boat Commander who sank 22 ships, amounting to sunk, ranking him as the 24th most successful Commander in World War II. After the war, he spent a year in British captivity before running a successful oil company and serving in Bremen's...

     on 7 May 1942
  10. Kapitän zur See Werner Hartmann
    Werner Hartmann
    Captain Werner Hartmann was a German U-boat commander in World War II. He sank 26 ships, amounting to over 115,000 tons sunk, ranking him as the 25th most successful commander in the war.-Career:...

  11. Korvettenkapitän Werner Henke
    Werner Henke
    Lieutenant Commander Werner Henke born in Thorn in Germany was the commander of during the Second Battle of the Atlantic of World War II. U-515 was sunk by the American task group 22.3, commanded by Daniel V...

  12. Fregattenkapitän Otto Kretschmer
    Otto Kretschmer
    Flotilla Admiral Otto Kretschmer was a German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak...

  13. Kapitänleutnant Hans-Günther Lange
    Hans-Günther Lange
    Hans-Günther Lange was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He is also a recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

  14. Korvettenkapitän Georg Lassen
    Georg Lassen
    Lieutenant Commander Georg Lassen is a former German U-boat captain who served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was a Watchkeeping Officer on at the outbreak of the war and later the skipper of the and winner of the Iron Cross. He sank 26 ships for a total of during 4 patrols,...

  15. Fregattenkapitän Heinrich Lehmann-Willenbrock
  16. Fregattenkapitan Heinrich Liebe
    Heinrich Liebe
    Commander Heinrich Liebe was a highly decorated German naval officer who served as a U-boat commander during World War II until transferred to Oberkommando der Kriegsmarine . He sank 34 ships for a total of , placing him fourth on the Aces of the Deep list...

  17. Kapitän zur See Wolfgang Lüth
    Wolfgang Lüth
    Kapitän zur See Wolfgang August Eugen Lüth , was the second most successful German U-boat ace of World War II...

  18. Korvettenkapitän Johann Mohr
    Johann Mohr
    Johann Mohr was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

  19. Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg
    Rolf Mützelburg
    Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg was a German U-boat commander during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...

  20. Kapitän zur See Karl-Friedrich Merten
    Karl-Friedrich Merten
    Captain Karl-Friedrich Merten was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He is credited with the sinking of 27 ships for a total of of allied shipping. For this achievement he was awarded the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves...

     on 30 January 1943
  21. Korvettenkapitan Gunther Prien
    Günther Prien
    Lieutenant Commander Günther Prien was one of the outstanding German U-boat aces of the first part of the Second World War, and the first U-boat commander to win the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Under Prien's command, the submarine sank over 30 Allied ships totaling about...

  22. Kapitänleutnant Joachim Schepke
    Joachim Schepke
    Lieutenant-Commander Joachim Schepke was a German U-boat commander during World War II. He was the seventh recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded by the Third Reich to recognise extreme...

  23. Korvettenkapitän Adalbert Schnee
    Adalbert Schnee
    Lieutenant Commander Adalbert Schnee was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the U-boats , , , and , sinking twenty-one merchant ships on twelve patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping, and received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves...

  24. Kapitän zur See Klaus Scholtz
    Klaus Scholtz
    Klaus Scholtz was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the Type IXB U-boat , sinking twenty-five ships on eight patrols, for a total of of Allied shipping, to become the eighteenth highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the...

  25. Kapitän zur See Viktor Schütze
  26. Korvettenkapitän Herbert Schultze
    Herbert Schultze
    Lieutenant Commander Herbert Schultze , was a German U-boat commander of the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded for eight patrols during the early part of the war, sinking and earning him eighth place on the Aces of the Deep list...

     on 15 July 1941
  27. Fregattenkapitän Reinhard Suhren
    Reinhard Suhren
    Commander Reinhard "Teddy" Suhren was a German U-boat commander in World War II and younger brother of Korvettenkapitän and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient Gerd Suhren. Suhren began his U-boat career in March 1938...

     on 31 December 1941
  28. Kapitänleutnant Rolf Thomsen
    Rolf Thomsen
    Rolf Thomsen was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise...

  29. Fregattenkapitän Erich Topp
    Erich Topp
    Rear Admiral Erich Topp was the third most successful of German U-Boot Experten commanders of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...

    on 11 April 1942

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