Gunter Jahn

Gunter Jahn (27 September 1910 – 12 April 1992) was German U-boat commander during World War II. He was born in Hamburg, Germany and began his naval career in April 1931 as a Seekadett. He first served on the light cruiser Nürnberg for more than two years, including nine patrols in the first year of the war.

Gunter Jahn
Born	27 September 1910 Hamburg
Died	12 April 1992(1992-04-12) (aged 81) Krailling
Allegiance	Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine  Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1931–45
Rank	Korvettenkapitän
Commands held	U-596 13 November 1941–27 July 1943 29th U-boat Flotilla
Awards	U-boat War Badge Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

In March 1941 Jahn joined the U-boat force and his first patrol were on board U-98 in September 1941. Later in November he commissioned U-596. On his second patrol he broke through the Strait of Gibraltar and went on to become one of the most successful U-boat commanders in the Mediterranean Sea. In July 1943 he left the boat and became the commander of the 29th U-boat Flotilla. In September 1944 he fell into French captivity, where he spent nearly two years.

Summary of career

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (2 October 1936)[1]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 October 1939)[2]
  • 1st Class (6 October 1942)[2]
• Medaille zur Erinnerung an die Heimkerhr des Memllandes (20 December 1939)[2]
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (6 October 1942)[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 April 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-596[3]

Ships attacked

Date	Name	Nationality	Convoy	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
16 August 1942	Suecia	Sweden	SC-95	4,966	Sunk
20 September 1942	Empire Hartebeeste	United Kingdom	SC-100	5,676	Sunk
7 February 1943	HMS LCI (L) 162	Royal Navy		246	Sunk
9 March 1943	Empire Standard	United Kingdom	KMS-10	7,047	Damaged
30 March 1943	Fort Norman	United Kingdom	KMS-10	7,133	Damaged
30 March 1943	Fort a la Corne	United Kingdom	ET-16	7,133	Sunk
30 March 1943	Hallanger	Norway	ET-16	9,551	Sunk

References

Citations

1. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 349.
2. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 350.
3. Scherzer 2007, p. 416.

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.
• 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.

External links

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "Gunter Jahn". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 16 October 2013.

Military offices
Preceded by Korvettenkapitän Fritz Frauenheim	Commander of the 29th U-boat Flotilla August 1943 – September 1944	Succeeded by disbanded