Oberleutnant zur See
Lieutenant-Senior
In the prewar years the Leutnant needed one year and six to nine months to reach this rank. During 1938 about 2 years was the norm. The Oberleutnant zur See wear one star on the plain shoulder-strap, the Oberleutnant (Ing.) has a cog-wheel on the shoulder-strap. They had one stripe on the shade of cap. On the sleeve they wear two stripes and the star (engineer officers also wore the cog-wheel). During WWII this was the most common rank of U-boat commanders. |
Oberleutnant Erich Topp as commander of U-552. |
Oberleutnant (Ing.) Erich Zürn the LI of U-48. |