Otto Ites

Otto Christian Ites (5 February 1918 – 2 February 1982) was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later a Konteradmiral with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Otto Ites, born on 5 February 1918 in Norden in the Province of Hanover a Free State of Prussia, joined the military service of the Kriegsmarine on 3 April 1936.

Ites served as second watch officer on nine war patrols on U-48, the first five patrols under the command of Herbert Schultze, two patrols under Hans-Rudolf Rösing and two patrols under Heinrich Bleichrodt. Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See on 1 October 1940 and he was made first watch officer on U-48. In this position he went on one more patrol (10 November 1940 – 13 March 1941), U-48 now again under the command of Herbert Schultze. He commanded U-146 and U-94, sinking fifteen ships on seven patrols, for a total of 76,882 gross register tons (GRT) tons of Allied shipping. In September 1941 the Pegasus was torpedoed and all the crew managed to scramble into 2 lifeboats. One of the lifeboats was rescued but the other was found empty and upside down. The Captain reported that the Pegasus was torpedoed twice, the first one caused quite a lot of damage and the crew left the ship, but then she was torpedoed again and she sank. On 28 August 1942 U-94 was sunk by depth charges in the Caribbean Sea, in position 17°40′N 74°30′W / 17.667°N 74.500°W / 17.667; -74.500 (U-94 (submarine)) from a Catalina of VP-92 and by the Canadian corvette Oakville. Ites and 25 of his crew were taken prisoner of war. Ites remained in US captivity at Camp Crossville, Tennessee, until 1 May 1946.

After the war Otto Ites matriculated at the University of Bonn in the winter semester 1946/47. He submitted his dissertation on 20 October 1950 at the medical faculty. Dr. Ites joined the military service of the Bundesmarine and as Fregattenkapitän commanded the destroyer Zerstörer 2 (D171), formerly USS Ringgold (DD-500), from November 1960 until September 1962. His twin brother, Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Ites, commander of U-709, was killed in action on 1 March 1944. U-709 was sunk by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Thomas, Bostwick and Bronstein north of the Azores at 49°10′N 26°00′W / 49.167°N 26.000°W / 49.167; -26.000 (U-709 (submarine)).

Ships Attacked

As commander of U-146 and U-94 Otto Ites is credited with the sinking of 15 merchant ships for a total of 76,882 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one further ship of 8,022 GRT.

Date	Name of ship	Flag	Tonnage	Fate
28 June 1941	Pluto	Finland	3,496	Sunk at 58°48′N 08°45′W / 58.800°N 8.750°W / 58.800; -8.750 (Pluto (ship))
15 September 1941	Newbury	United Kingdom	5,102	Sunk at 54°39′N 28°04′W / 54.650°N 28.067°W / 54.650; -28.067 (Newbury (ship))
15 September 1941	Pegasus	Greece	5,762	Sunk at 54°40′N 29°50′W / 54.667°N 29.833°W / 54.667; -29.833 (Pegasus (ship))
15 September 1941	Empire Eland	United Kingdom	5,613	Sunk at 54°00′N 28°00′W / 54.000°N 28.000°W / 54.000; -28.000 (Empire Eland (ship))
1 October 1941	San Florentino	United Kingdom	12,842	Sunk at 52°50′N 34°40′W / 52.833°N 34.667°W / 52.833; -34.667 (San Florentino (ship))
24 February 1942	Empire Hail	United Kingdom	7,005	Sunk at 44°48′N 40°21′W / 44.800°N 40.350°W / 44.800; -40.350 (Empire Hail (ship))
9 March 1942	Cayrǘ	Brazil	5,152	Sunk at 39°10′N 72°02′W / 39.167°N 72.033°W / 39.167; -72.033 (Cayrǘ (ship))
11 March 1942	Hvoslef	Norway	1,630	Sunk at 38°27′N 74°54′W / 38.450°N 74.900°W / 38.450; -74.900 (Hvoslef (ship))
25 March 1942	Imperial Transport	United Kingdom	8,022	Damaged at 46°26′N 41°30′W / 46.433°N 41.500°W / 46.433; -41.500 (Imperial Transport (ship))
12 May 1942	Coclé	Panama	5,630	Sunk at 52°37′N 29°13′W / 52.617°N 29.217°W / 52.617; -29.217 (Coclé (ship))
13 May 1942	Tolken	Sweden	4,471	Sunk at 51°50′N 33°35′W / 51.833°N 33.583°W / 51.833; -33.583 (Tolken (ship))
13 May 1942	Batna	United Kingdom	4,399	Sunk at 52°09′N 33°56′W / 52.150°N 33.933°W / 52.150; -33.933 (Batna (ship))
5 June 1942	Maria de Glória*	Portugal	320	Sunk at 50°14′N 39°12′W / 50.233°N 39.200°W / 50.233; -39.200 (Maria de Glória (ship))
10 June 1942	Ramsay	United Kingdom	4,855	Sunk at 51°53′N 34°59′W / 51.883°N 34.983°W / 51.883; -34.983 (Ramsay (ship))
10 June 1942	Empire Clough	United Kingdom	6,147	Sunk at 51°50′N 35°00′W / 51.833°N 35.000°W / 51.833; -35.000 (Ramsay (ship))
11 June 1942	Pontypridd	United Kingdom	4,458	Sunk at 49°50′N 41°37′W / 49.833°N 41.617°W / 49.833; -41.617 (Pontypridd (ship))

* Sailing vessel

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (27 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (25 February 1940)
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (21 December 1939)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 28 March 1942 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-94
• Mentioned twice in the Wehrmachtbericht on 30 March 1942 and 18 June 1942
• Commander's Cross, Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

• ^ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 207.
• Fellgiebel 2000, p. 240.
• Scherzer 2007, p. 414.