Herbert Panknin

Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) (Crew 1934)


Born 27 December, 1913 Neustettin/ Pommerania


Herbert Panknin

Decorations

                   : Iron Cross 2nd class (EK II)
                   : Ubootskriegsabzeichen 1939
                   : Iron Cross 1st class (EK I)
02/02/1942 : Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (6)
04/09/1943 : Knights Cross (98)

Ranks

01/07/1935 Fähnrich (Ing.)
01/01/1937 Oberfähnrich (Ing.)
01/04/1937 Leutnant (Ing.) (-24-)
01/04/1939 Oberleutnant (Ing.) (-23-)
01/02/1942 Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) (-2-)

U-boat Career
U-57 IIC LI; 9 patrols, 131 days* 12.38 - 07.40
U-106 IXC LI; 3 patrols, 179 days 09.40 - 11.41
U-861 IXD2 LI; 2 patrols, 250 days 09.43 - 05.45

* A LI is a chief engineer, not a commander

Herbert Panknin started his naval career in April 1934. Immediately after his officer training he joined the U-boat force in 1937. He then rode on U-57 under the command of Kptlt. Claus Korth. He left the U-boat in July 1940 and became a crew member of the newly commissioned Type IXC U-boat U-106. Mostly in the North- and Middle Atlantic he rode 3 patrols under the command of Kptlt. Jürgen Oesten.

After leaving U-106 in November 1941 he became the flotilla engineer of the 9th U-boat flotilla in Brest (France). In autumn 1943 he rode once more with his his old commander Jürgen Oesten, now on the Monsun boat U-861. After two long range patrols the U-boat returned in April 1945 to Trondheim, Norway. After the German surrender Herbert Panknin had to bring his U-boat to Lisahally, Northern Ireland where it was later sunk during the post-war Operation Deadlight. He then spent 4 months in Allied captivity.

In 1958 he joined the Bundesmarine where he served some years in different technical positions, before he became the commander of the Technische Marineschule II in Bremerhaven in 1966.

Kapitän zur See Herbert Panknin retired in March 1973.

Source


Dörr, Manfred
Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Bootwaffe
Band 2. K - Z
Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, 1989
ISBN 3-7648-1153-6