Hermann Rasch
German World War II U-boat commander

Hermann Rasch

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German World War II U-boat commander
Gender:
Male
Places:
Germany
Is:
SailorSubmarinerLieutenant
Work field:
Military
Birth:
26 August 1914(Wilhelmshaven)
Death:
10 June 1974(Hamburg)
Star sign:
Virgo
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Biography

Introduction

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. 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.

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)
  • Spanish Cross in Bronze without Swords (6 June 1939)
  • Iron Cross (1939)
    • 2nd Class
    • 1st Class (11 July 1941)
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 29 December 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-106
  • Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 7 February 1942
  • ^ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 295.
  • Fellgiebel 2000, p. 350.
  • Scherzer 2007, p. 613.