Heinrich Bleichrodt
Korvettenkapitän (Crew 31)
| Successes 24 ships sunk, total tonnage 151,260 GRT 1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,060 tons 2 ships damaged, total tonnage 11,684 GRT |
| Born | 21 Oct 1909 | Berga, Kyffhäuser | |
| Died | 9 Jan 1977 | (67) | München, Germany |
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Ranks
Decorations
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U-boat Commands
| U-boat | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-48 | 4 Sep 1940 | 16 Dec 1940 | 2 patrols (41 days) |
| U-67 | 22 Jan 1941 | 4 Jun 1941 | No war patrols |
| U-109 | 5 Jun 1941 | 31 Jan 1943 | 6 patrols (364 days) |
After first serving on the training ship Gorch Fock and the heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, Kapitänleutnant 'Ajax' Bleichrodt began his U-boat career in October 1939. Following standard training, his first posting was the small type IIB U-boat coastal boat U-8. During June/July 1940 he completed one patrol as IWO on U-34, serving under the future Knights Cross holder Kapitänleutnant Wilhelm Rollmann. They sank eight ships with a total of 22,434 tons.
In August 1940 he took command of U-48, and on 8 September 1940 he began his first patrol as a commander. Aboard as his IWO was Teddy Suhren, who was to later win the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. Together they sank eight ships with a total of 36,189 tons.
On 21 September, 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:
Das unter Führung von Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt stehende Unterseeboot hat neun Dampfer mit insgesamt 51.862 BRT versenkt.
The U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank nine merchant ships with a total of 51,862 tons.
[Note that this is a case of a wartime claim differing from a postwar-verified figure.]
'Ajax' Bleichrodt's second patrol on U-48 in October 1940 was also a great success, with eight ships sunk totalling 43,106 tons.
On 18 October 1940 the daily Wehrmachtsbericht announced:
Ein Unterseeboot unter Führung vom Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt ..., hat auf seiner letzten Unternehmung insgesamt 42.000 BRT feindlichen Handelsschiffraum versenkt.
A U-boat under the command of Kapitänleutnant Bleichrodt sank a total of 42,000 tons of enemy shipping on his most recent patrol.
Three days before the end of that patrol U-48 received a radio transmission regarding the award of a Knights Cross. When Bleichrodt learned that it was for him, he refused to wear his new medal until his IWO, Oberleutnant z. S. Teddy Suhren, had also been awarded one, since Suhren had overseen all surface action on previous missions. On 3 November 1940 Suhren became the first IWO to receive the Knights Cross for his "outstanding part in the sinking of more than 200,000 tons".
In Autumn 1940 Bleichrodt left U-48 and in January 1941 commissioned U-67. In June 1941 he took over command of U-109. During six patrols he sank 13 ships with a total of some 80,000 tons, and was awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross. After five months in the 27th (Training) Flotilla Bleichrodt served one year in the 2nd ULD (U-boat training division) as a tactical instructor, starting in July 1943. From July 1944 to the end of the war he was Chief of the 22nd Flotilla .
Sources
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1997). Der U-Bootkrieg 1939-1945 (Band 2).
Patrol info for Heinrich Bleichrodt
| U-boat | Departure | Arrival | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | U-48 | 8 Sep 1940 | Lorient | 25 Sep 1940 | Lorient | Patrol 1, | 18 days | |
| 2. | U-48 | 5 Oct 1940 | Lorient | 27 Oct 1940 | Kiel | Patrol 2, | 23 days | |
| 3. | U-109 | 28 Jun 1941 | Lorient | 17 Aug 1941 | Lorient | Patrol 3, | 51 days | |
| 4. | U-109 | 21 Sep 1941 | Lorient | 22 Sep 1941 | Lorient | 2 days | ||
| 5. | U-109 | 5 Oct 1941 | Lorient | 18 Nov 1941 | Lorient | Patrol 4, | 45 days | |
| 6. | U-109 | 27 Dec 1941 | Lorient | 23 Feb 1942 | Lorient | Patrol 5, | 59 days | |
| 7. | U-109 | 25 Mar 1942 | Lorient | 3 Jun 1942 | Lorient | Patrol 6, | 71 days | |
| 8. | U-109 | 18 Jul 1942 | Lorient | 6 Oct 1942 | Lorient | Patrol 7, | 81 days | |
| 9. | U-109 | 28 Nov 1942 | Lorient | 23 Jan 1943 | St. Nazaire | Patrol 8, | 57 days | |
| 8 patrols, 405 days at sea | ||||||||
Ships hit by Heinrich Bleichrodt
About ranks and decorations
Special thanks to Fernando Almeida for data on ranks and decorations.
Media links
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