Klaus Andersen

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 37b)

Successes
4 ships sunk, total tonnage 1,165 GRT
3 warships sunk, total tonnage 160 tons
1 warship damaged, total tonnage 26 tons

Born

19 Oct 1918

Wilhelmshaven

Ranks

9 Oct 1937		Offiziersanwärter
1 Apr 1939		Fähnrich zur See
1 Mar 1940		Oberfähnrich zur See
1 May 1940		Leutnant zur See
1 Apr 1942		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Jan 1945		Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

Apr 1940		Iron Cross 2nd Class
19 Oct 1940		Destroyer War Badge
Nov 1940		Narvik Shield
22 Dec 1942		U-boat War Badge 1939
1944		Iron Cross 1st Class

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-708	Jun, 1943	29 Feb 1944	No war patrols
U-481	1 Mar 1944	9 May 1945	5 patrols (163 days)

Klaus Andersen joined the Kriegsmarine in Oct 1937 and was a part of Crew 37b. He served on the destroyer Z 2 georg Thiele from Sep 1939 to April 1940 when the destroyer was beached near Sildwik, Norway after serious damages from British vessels.

Andersen then served in several staff positions, among other posts he was involved in the planning of Operation Sealion - the planned invasion of Britain.

In Jan 1942 he joined the U-boat force and started his training, finishing in July when he was assigned as First Watch Officer on the U-81. He served on the boat until April 1943 when he started his U-boat commander course. He took command of U-708 in June 1943, leaving the boat on 29 Feb 1944.

On 1 March 1944 Andersen took command of U-481 and held that command until the end of the war. He took the boat out on 5 patrols and sank several small ships. After the surrender he was detained by the Allies, not freed until Nov 1947 - among the last U-boat men to be released.

Sources

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

Patrol info for Klaus Andersen

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-481	19 Jun 1944	Kiel	23 Jun 1944	Helsinki		5 days
2.	U-481	25 Jun 1944	Helsinki	26 Jun 1944	Reval		2 days
3.	U-481	5 Jul 1944	Reval	4 Aug 1944	Reval	Patrol 1,	31 days
4.	U-481	10 Aug 1944	Reval	21 Aug 1944	Königsberg	Patrol 2,	12 days
5.	U-481	16 Sep 1944	Königsberg	26 Oct 1944	Danzig	Patrol 3,	41 days
6.	U-481	2 Nov 1944	Danzig	22 Dec 1944	Danzig	Patrol 4,	51 days
7.	U-481	26 Jan 1945	Königsberg	1 Feb 1945	Kiel		7 days
8.	U-481	1 Apr 1945	Kiel	3 Apr 1945	Horten		3 days
9.	U-481	7 Apr 1945	Horten	4 May 1945	Narvik	Patrol 5,	28 days
10.	U-481	12 May 1945	Narvik	12 May 1945	Skjomenfjord		1 days
11.	U-481	15 May 1945	Skjomenfjord	19 May 1945	Loch Eriboll, UK		5 days
5 patrols, 163 days at sea

Ships hit by Klaus Andersen

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons
30 Jul 1944	U-481	KT-804	26	sj
30 Jul 1944	U-481	KT-806 (d.)	26	sj
30 Jul 1944	U-481	KT-807	26	sj
15 Oct 1944	U-481	Dan	47	fi
15 Oct 1944	U-481	Endla	68	fi
15 Oct 1944	U-481	Maria	50	fi
19 Nov 1944	U-481	112600 (No 4532)	1,000	sj
28 Nov 1944	U-481	T-387 (No 331)	108	sj
			1,351
7 ships sunk (1,325 tons) and 1 ship damaged (26 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel. (d.) means the ship was damaged.