Ulrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 35)

Successes
5 ships sunk, total tonnage 39,855 GRT
3 warships sunk, total tonnage 873 tons (lost aboard transport ships)
1 ship damaged, total tonnage 5,432 GRT

Born	2 Aug 1913		Friedrichshafen
Died	7 Feb 1943	(29)	Central North Atlantic

Ranks

5 Apr 1935		Offiziersanwärter
25 Sep 1935		Seekadett
1 Apr 1936		Fähnrich zur See
1 Jul 1938		Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1938		Leutnant zur See
1 Oct 1939		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Jan 1943		Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

		Iron Cross 2nd Class
		Minesweeper War Badge
		U-boat War Badge 1939
		Iron Cross 1st Class

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-624	28 May 1942	7 Feb 1943 (+)	2 patrols (88 days)

Ulrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen joined the Kriegsmarine in 1935. Between Sept 1939 to March 1941 he served in minesweeping flotillas and units, joining the U-boat force in April 1941.

In Oct 1941 Obltnt. Soden-Fraunhofen was assigned as 1st Watch Officer to the successful U-552 (Topp). He went on two patrols with the boat, a total of 67 days at sea. Ironically, these were among the least successful of U-552's patrols, but the experience of serving under a veteran like Erich Topp was invaluable.

From March to May 1942 Soden-Fraunhofen received U-boat commander training prior to commissioning the type VIIC U-boat U-624 on 28 May. The first patrol (56 days in the North Atlantic) was highly successful, with a tally of seven ships sunk (35,616 GRT) and one damaged.

On the second patrol in the Atlantic Kptlt. Soden-Fraunhofen died with his entire crew (44) when U-624 was sunk by a British B-17 Flying Fortress.

Sources

Busch, R and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Ulrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-624	10 Oct 1942	Kiel	4 Dec 1942	St. Nazaire	Patrol 1,	56 days
2.	U-624	7 Jan 1943	St. Nazaire	7 Feb 1943	Sunk	Patrol 2,	32 days
2 patrols, 88 days at sea

Ships hit by Ulrich Graf von Soden-Fraunhofen

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
29 Oct 1942	U-624	HMS LCT-2190 [Trans.]	291	br	HX-212
29 Oct 1942	U-624	HMS LCT-2192 [Trans.]	291	br	HX-212
29 Oct 1942	U-624	HMS LCT-2284 [Trans.]	291	br	HX-212
29 Oct 1942	U-624	Kosmos II	16,966	nw	HX-212
29 Oct 1942	U-624	Pan-New York	7,701	am	HX-212
18 Nov 1942	U-624	President Sergent	5,344	br	ONS-144
18 Nov 1942	U-624	Parismina	4,732	am	ONS-144
18 Nov 1942	U-624	Yaka (d.)	5,432	am	ONS-144

25 Jan 1943	U-624	Lackenby	5,112	br	SC-117
			46,160
8 ships sunk (40,728 tons) and 1 ship damaged (5,432 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel. (d.) means the ship was damaged. [Trans.] indicates the vessel was lost while being transported on another vessel.

About ranks and decorations
Ranks shown in italics are our database inserts based on the rank dates of his crew comrades. The officers of each crew would normally have progressed through the lower ranks at the same rate.