Decorations

U-boat Front Clasp

U-Boots - Frontspange



U-boat Front Clasp

The U-boat front clasp (or combat clasp, as it is better known) was established by the Kriegsmarine on 15 May 1944, in bronze.  This was done to equate with the means of recognition already enacted by the other services. This award recognized close combat and acknowledged courageous service.

The award was recommended by the U-boat commander based on one of three criteria:  the number of sorties against the enemy, or the risk factor relative to the sortie number, or personal bravery.  The award was made after approval by Grand Admiral Dönitz.

On 24 November 1944, a silver grade was introduced to recognize further valor. The exact criteria for this grade of the award is uncertain.  The award document had a facsimile of the badge at the top with the commander's signature and stamp at the bottom.  Christopher Ailsby reports that some gold versions were produced, but none awarded.

Decorations ordered by last name

See this list sorted by date


Commander and rankAgeCrewDate  U-boat Command(s) held *
Oblt. Ahlefeld, Hunold von214010 Oct 1944  U-150

Oblt. Ballert, Rene24XII/3922 Oct 1944  U-1196
Oblt. (R) Bartke, Erwin +35404 Oct 1944  U-488, U-1106
Ltn. Baumgärtel, Friedrich20405 Oct 1943  
Oblt. Becker, Klaus24X/3919 Oct 1944  U-367, U-260
Kptlt. Becker, Richard333418 Oct 1944  U-218
Ltn. Bensel, Rolf Rüdiger20401944  
Oblt. Benthin, Karl-Dietrich234014 Nov 1944  U-2335
Oblt. Bergemann, Wilhelm24X/3922 Oct 1944  U-152
Oblt. Bitter, Georg von +23X/3916 Sep 1944  U-750
Oblt. Boddenberg, Karl309 Nov 1944  U-963
Oblt. Boldt, Walter22XII/3922 Oct 1944  U-720
Oblt. (R) Bork, Helmut34394 Oct 1944  U-275
Oblt. Bornkessel, Dieter23XII/391944  
Kptlt. Bosüner, Harald301 Oct 1944  U-1223
Kptlt. Brasack, Paul2837a28 Oct 1944  U-737
Kptlt. Brüller, Ernst-Ulrich273617 Oct 1944  U-7, U-23, U-407

Oblt. (R) Cranz, Wilhelm +29X/3915 Dec 1944  U-398
KrvKpt. Cremer, Peter-Erich333227 Sep 1944  U-152, U-333

Oblt. Davidson, Heinz von2537a1944  U-281
Oblt. Dietrich, Willi +341944  U-286
Oblt. Dobinsky, Hans-Jürgen21XII/391944  
Kpt. Dobratz, Kurt402215 Feb 1945  U-1232
FrgKpt. Dommes, Wilhelm37315 Mar 1945  U-431, U-178
Oblt. Drescher, Günther25381944  
Oblt. Dunkelberg, Hans2637b1945  U-716

Kptlt. Eickstedt, Wolfgang von283517 Nov 1944  U-668
Kptlt. Emmermann, Carl29341 Oct 1944  U-172
Kptlt. Engel, Herbert323918 Oct 1944  U-666, U-228

Kptlt. Franke, Rudolf Heinz293624 Jan 1945  U-148, U-262
Kptlt. Franze, Joachim2637a   U-278

Kptlt. Gelhaus, Harald29351 Oct 1944  U-143, U-107
KrvKpt. Gysae, Robert33311 Oct 1944  U-98, U-177

KrvKpt. Hechler, Ernst372927 Feb 1945  U-870
Oblt. (R) Hensellek, Ortwin33394 Oct 1944  U-298
Kptlt. Herbschleb, Karl-Heinz33344 Oct 1944  U-21, U-354

Ltn. Kaeding, Walter299 Jan 1945  U-56
KrvKpt. Kentrat, Eitel-Friedrich382820 Sep 1944  U-8, U-74, U-196

Lehmann, Hans2738   
Kptlt. Lüdden, Siegfried +283627 Sep 1944  U-188
Kpt. Lüth, Wolfgang +313312 Oct 1944  U-13, U-9, U-138, U-43, U-181

Oblt. Mangold, Ernst26XII/39Jun 1944  U-739
Oblt. Manke, Rolf +2635   
Mannesmann, Gert +3333   U-545
Kptlt. Marbach, Karl-Heinz2737a26 Nov 1944  U-101, U-29, U-28, U-953
KrvKpt. Mehl, Waldemar303310 Mar 1945  U-62, U-72, U-371
Oblt. Mohs, Hans-Dieter2437b   U-5, U-60, U-956
Kptlt. Möhlmann, Helmut313316 Sep 1944  U-143, U-52, U-571

Ltn. Niemeyer, Heinrich33X/39   

KrvKpt. Pauckstadt, Hans3426   U-18, U-12, U-30, U-34
Oblt. Petersen, Kurt2636   
Kptlt. Poel, Gustav273627 Apr 1945  U-413
Oblt. Pulst, Günther2637b19 Nov 1944  U-978

Oblt. Rasch, Karl-Heinz +303829 Dec 1944  U-296
Kptlt. Reche, Reinhart28342 Nov 1944  U-255

Ltn. Schauroth, Carl2240   
Kptlt. Schroeteler, Heinrich-Andreas28367 Oct 1944  U-667
Kptlt. Schroeter, Horst von2537b15 Mar 1945  U-123, U-2506
Oblt. Schüler, Wolf-Harald23X/3912 Jan 1945  U-720, U-2325
Kptlt. Struckmeier, Rolf27351944  U-608

KrvKpt. Timm, Heinrich343229 Sep 1944  U-251, U-862

Oblt. Wex, Hans-Dieter24XII/3910 Oct 1944  
KrvKpt. Witt, Hans-Ludwig34297 Oct 1944  U-161, U-129

Ltn. Zapf, Werner +291 Nov 1944  
Oblt. Zorn, Rudolf +2637b1944  U-29, U-416, U-382

65 U-boat Commanders decorated with U-boat Front Clasp (U-Boots - Frontspange) located.

Legend:
+ Indicates the Officer died in the war.
* Commands held indicates the U-boat commands held by this officer before award date. In some cases the officer had not taken command his first boat yet or was not even in the U-boat force yet.


Note: This listing is still being compiled and some recipients might be missing.

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