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

Kptlt. Heinrich Bleichrodt wearing his Knights Cross with Oak Leaves

Ranks

26 Jan 1933		Offiziersanwärter
1 Apr 1933		Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan 1935		Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr 1935		Leutnant zur See
1 Jan 1937		Oberleutnant zur See
1 Oct 1939		Kapitänleutnant
1 Nov 1943		Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

25 Jul 1940		Iron Cross 2nd Class
24 Sep 1940		U-boat War Badge 1939
25 Sep 1940		Iron Cross 1st Class
24 Oct 1940		Knights Cross
1 Nov 1941		Italieniches Kriegskreuz mit Schwertern "Croce di Guerra Italiana al Valore Militare"
23 Sep 1942		Knights Cross with Oak Leaves
Oct, 1942		U-boat War Badge with Diamonds
1 Jan 1945		War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords

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

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
15 Sep 1940	U-48	HMS Dundee (L 84)	1,060	br	SC-3
15 Sep 1940	U-48	Alexandros	4,343	gr	SC-3
15 Sep 1940	U-48	Empire Volunteer	5,319	br	SC-3
18 Sep 1940	U-48	City of Benares	11,081	br	OB-213
18 Sep 1940	U-48	Marina	5,088	br	OB-213
18 Sep 1940	U-48	Magdalena	3,118	br	SC-3
21 Sep 1940	U-48	Blairangus	4,409	br	HX-72
21 Sep 1940	U-48	Broompark (d.)	5,136	br	HX-72
11 Oct 1940	U-48	Brandanger	4,624	nw	HX-77
11 Oct 1940	U-48	Port Gisborne	8,390	br	HX-77
12 Oct 1940	U-48	Davanger	7,102	nw	HX-77
17 Oct 1940	U-48	Languedoc	9,512	br	SC-7
17 Oct 1940	U-48	Scoresby	3,843	br	SC-7
18 Oct 1940	U-48	Sandsend	3,612	br	OB-228
20 Oct 1940	U-48	Shirak	6,023	br	HX-79

23 Jan 1942	U-109	Thirlby	4,887	br	SC-66
1 Feb 1942	U-109	Tacoma Star	7,924	br
5 Feb 1942	U-109	Montrolite	11,309	ca
6 Feb 1942	U-109	Halcyon	3,531	pa
20 Apr 1942	U-109	Harpagon	5,719	br
1 May 1942	U-109	La Paz (d.)	6,548	br
3 May 1942	U-109	Laertes	5,825	nl
7 Aug 1942	U-109	Arthur W. Sewall	6,030	nw
11 Aug 1942	U-109	Vimeira	5,728	br	E-6
3 Sep 1942	U-109	Ocean Might	7,173	br	OS-37
6 Sep 1942	U-109	Tuscan Star	11,449	br
17 Sep 1942	U-109	Peterton	5,221	br	OG-80
			164,004
25 ships sunk (152,320 tons) and 2 ships damaged (11,684 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel. (d.) means the ship was damaged.