Are there any U-boat commanders still alive?

The last surviving U-boat commander, Reinhard Hardegen, who brought the Second World War to America’s doorstep, has died at the age of 105. Hardegen was one of the most successful commanders during Operation Drumbeat, when Nazi submarines attacked merchant ships along the east coast of North America.

Who was the best U-boat commander?

Lothar von Arnauld de la Perière (1886–1941) was the most successful U-boat commander of World War I and of any submarine commander in history. Between 1915–18, he made 14 patrols in command of U-35, sinking 189 merchant vessels and two gunboats.

What rank was AU boat captain?

Officers
Title Rank
Captain Kapitanleutnant or Oberleutnant zur See
First Watch Officer (1WO) Oberleutnant zur See or Leutnant zur See
Second Watch Officer (2WO) Leutnant zur See

Who was the youngest U-boat commander?

Youngest U-boat commanders

Commander Age at departure
1 Ltn. Ludwig-Ferdinand von Friedeburg 20 years , 111 days
2 Ltn. Kurt Braun 20 years , 362 days
3 Oblt. Rudolf Arendt 21 years , 121 days
4 Oblt. (R) Hans-Georg Hess 21 years , 162 days

Who sank the most ships in ww2?

Total tonnage With 116,454 tons sunk, the USS Tang sank the most tonnage of shipping in World War II for the United States. Its tonnage was revised from the Joint Army–Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) report, which initially credited Tang with fewer sinkings.

What was the deadliest U boat in ww2?

The Most Successful U-boats

U-boat Successes
1. U-48 51 ships sunk (306,874 tons) 3 ships damaged (20,480 tons)
2. U-103 45 ships sunk (237,596 tons) 3 ships damaged (28,158 tons)
3. U-124 46 ships sunk (219,862 tons) 4 ships damaged (30,067 tons)
4. U-123 42 ships sunk (218,813 tons) 6 ships damaged (53,568 tons)