Hermann Rasch
Hermann Rasch | |
---|---|
Born |
Wilhelmshaven | 26 August 1914
Died |
10 June 1974 59) Hamburg | (aged
Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
Service/branch | Kriegsmarine |
Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
Unit |
Schleswig-Holstein Panzerschiff Admiral Scheer SSS Albert Leo Schlageter |
Commands held | U-106 |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Hermann Rasch (26 August 1914 – 10 June 1974) was a German U-boat commander of U-106 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.
On 14 May 1942 Reinhard Suhren, commander of U-564, sunk the Mexican oil tanker Potrero del Llano.[1] The sinking of this ship, compounded with U-106's attack on another tanker, the Faja de Oro, would bring Mexico to declare "A State of War" on the Axis powers.[2]
Summary of career
Ships attacked
As commander of U-106 Rasch is credited with the sinking of twelve ships for a total of 78,553 gross register tons (GRT), further damaged one ship of 4,639 GRT and damaging one auxiliary warship of 8,246 GRT.
Date | U-boat | Name of Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 October 1941 | U-106 | King Malcolm | United Kingdom | 5,120 | Sunk |
30 October 1941 | U-106 | USS Salinas | United States Navy | 8,246 | Damaged |
24 January 1942 | U-106 | SS Empire Wildebeeste | United Kingdom | 5,631 | Sunk |
26 January 1942 | U-106 | Traveller | United Kingdom | 3,963 | Sunk |
30 January 1942 | U-106 | Rochester | United States | 6,836 | Sunk |
3 February 1942 | U-106 | Amerikaland | Sweden | 15,355 | Sunk |
6 February 1942 | U-106 | Opawa | United Kingdom | 10,354 | Sunk |
5 May 1942 | U-106 | Lady Drake | Canada | 7,985 | Sunk |
21 May 1942 | U-106 | SS Faja de Oro | Mexico | 6,067 | Sunk |
26 May 1942 | U-106 | Carrabulle | United States | 5,030 | Sunk |
27 May 1942 | U-106 | Atenas | United States | 4,639 | Damaged |
28 May 1942 | U-106 | Mentor | United Kingdom | 7,383 | Sunk |
1 June 1942 | U-106 | Hampton Roads | United States | 2,689 | Sunk |
11 October 1942 | U-106 | Waterton | United Kingdom | 2,140 | Sunk |
Awards
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (8 April 1938)[3]
- Spanish Cross in Bronze without Swords (6 June 1939)[3]
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class
- 1st Class (11 July 1941)[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 December 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-106[4][5]
- Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 7 February 1942
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Hickam, Homer H. (1996). Torpedo Junction: U-Boat War Off America's East Coast, 1942. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-362-6.
- Salinas, María Emilia Paz (1997). Strategy, Security, and Spies: Mexico and the U.S. as Allies in World War II. University Park, PA: Penn State Press. ISBN 978-0-271-01666-5.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 (in German). München: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 3-423-05944-3.
External links
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Hermann Rasch". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
- "Hermann Rasch". Der Spiegel (in German). 46. 1960. Retrieved 14 July 2014.