Wilhelm Dommes
German navy officer and world war II U-boat commander

Wilhelm Dommes

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German navy officer and world war II U-boat commander
Gender:
Male
Places:
Germany
Is:
SailorSubmarinerSoldierLieutenant
Work field:
Military
Birth:
16 April 1907(Buchberg, Switzerland)
Death:
23 January 1990(Hanover, Germany)
Star sign:
Aries
Education:
Naval Academy at Mürwik
(1933 - 1934)
Awards:
Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossIron Cross 2nd ClassSudetenland MedalHigh Seas Fleet BadgeIron Cross 1st ClassU-boat War BadgeMedal of Military ValourMedal of Military ValourWar Merit CrossU-boat Front Clasp
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Biography

Introduction

Wilhelm Dommes (16 April 1907 in Berent District, West Prussia – 23 January 1990 in Hannover) 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 recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is notable as being the commander of U-boats in the Indian Ocean, whereby German and Japanese forces fought together in the only time in the war. He was the first commander of the U-boat base, in the former British seaplane base in Penang, where he served as head of the Southeast Asia U-boat region.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As commander of U-431 and U-178 Wilhelm Dommes is credited with the sinking of eight ships for a total of 40,103 gross register tons (GRT), sinking one auxiliary warship of 313 GRT, two warships of 3,548 long tons (3,605 tonnes), and damaging one ship of 3,560 GRT and one warship of 450 long tons (460 t).

Date U-boat Ship Nationality Tonnage Fate
2 October 1941 U-431 Hatasu  United Kingdom 3,198 Sunk
13 December 1941 U-431 Myriel  United Kingdom 3,560 Damaged
29 January 1942 U-431 HMS Sotra  Royal Navy 313 Sunk
20 May 1942 U-431 Eocene  United Kingdom 4,216 Sunk
15 June 1942 U-431 HMS LCT-119  Royal Navy 450 Damaged
10 November 1942 U-431 HMS Martin  Royal Navy 1,920 Sunk
13 November 1942 U-431 HNLMS Isaac Sweers  Royal Netherlands Navy 1,628 Sunk
1 June 1943 U-178 Salabangka  Netherlands 6,586 Sunk
4 July 1943 U-178 Breiviken  Norway 2,669 Sunk
4 July 1943 U-178 Michael Livanos  Greece 4,774 Sunk
11 July 1943 U-178 Mary Livanos  Greece 4,771 Sunk
14 July 1943 U-178 Robert Bacon  United States 7,197 Sunk
17 July 1943 U-178 City of Canton  United Kingdom 6,692 Sunk

Awards

  • Wehrmacht Long Service Award 3rd Class (23 January 1937)
  • The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 (6 September 1940)
  • Iron Cross (1939)
    • 2nd Class (29 November 1939)
    • 1st Class (10 February 1942)
  • U-boat War Badge (1939) (10 February 1942)
  • Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (27 July 1942)
  • Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (29 May 1943)
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 December 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-431
  • War Merit Cross with Swords
    • 2nd Class (30 January 1945)
    • 1st Class (20 April 1945)
  • U-boat Front Clasp (5 March 1945)