Jürgen Wattenberg

Kapitän zur See (Crew 21)

Successes
14 ships sunk, total tonnage 82,027 GRT

Born	28 Dec 1900		Lübeck
Died	27 Nov 1995	(94)	Hamburg, Germany

Jürgen Wattenberg

Ranks

1 Apr 1923		Fähnrich zur See
1 Oct 1925		Leutnant zur See
1 Jul 1927		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1933		Kapitänleutnant
1 Jul 1937		Korvettenkapitän
1 Apr 1941		Fregattenkapitän
1 Apr 1943		Kapitän zur See

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-162	9 Sep 1941	3 Sep 1942	3 patrols (162 days)

At the beginning of the war Jürgen Wattenberg was navigation officer of the famous pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, which was scuttled off Montevideo, Uruguay in December 1939. He escaped from internment and reached Germany in May 1940.

He joined the U-boat force in October 1940. He served as commander-in-training (Kommandantenschüler) on U-103 before commissioning the type IXC U-162 in September 1941. His boat was sunk on its third patrol in September 1942 by three British destroyers northeast of Trinidad.

One of the oldest Commanders
Jürgen Wattenberg was one of the oldest U-boat commanders of WWII to depart on patrol when he took U-162 out from Kiel, Germany on 7 Feb 1942. He was a little over 41 years old at the time. He enjoyed considerable success as captain of U-162 before being captured, sinking 14 ships with a total of over 82,000 GRT.

Eventful captivity
Wattenberg spent more than three years in Allied captivity. He arrived at Fort Hunt, Virgina in September 1942 and was then transferred to Crossville POW camp, Tennessee on 16 October. On 27 January 1944 he was moved again, to the camp at Papago Park, Scottsdale, Arizona. He organised and led the escape of 25 POWs from this camp during the night of 23-24 December 1944, and remained at large the longest, until 28 January.

Wattenberg was transferred to Camp Shanks, Orangeburg, NY in February 1946, and from there to a compound in the British zone of Germany near Münster before finally being released. He later became manager of the Lübeck branch of the Bavaria & St. Pauli Brewery.

Sources

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

Patrol info for Jürgen Wattenberg

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-162	7 Feb 1942	Kiel	18 Mar 1942	Lorient	Patrol 1,	40 days
2.	U-162	7 Apr 1942	Lorient	8 Jun 1942	Lorient	Patrol 2,	63 days
3.	U-162	7 Jul 1942	Lorient	3 Sep 1942	Sunk	Patrol 3,	59 days
3 patrols, 162 days at sea

Ships hit by Jürgen Wattenberg

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
24 Feb 1942	U-162	White Crest	4,365	br	ONS-67
30 Apr 1942	U-162	Athelempress	8,941	br	OS-25
1 May 1942	U-162	Parnahyba	6,692	bz
4 May 1942	U-162	Florence M. Douglas	119	br
4 May 1942	U-162	Eastern Sword	3,785	am
7 May 1942	U-162	Frank Seamans	4,271	nw
9 May 1942	U-162	Mont Louis	1,905	ca
13 May 1942	U-162	Esso Houston	7,699	am
14 May 1942	U-162	British Colony	6,917	br
18 May 1942	U-162	Beth	6,852	nw
19 Aug 1942	U-162	West Celina	5,722	am	TAW(S)
24 Aug 1942	U-162	Moena	9,286	nl
26 Aug 1942	U-162	Thelma	8,297	nw
30 Aug 1942	U-162	Star of Oregon	7,176	am
			82,027
14 ships sunk (82,027 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel.