Joachim Schepke

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Joachim Schepke (Flensburg March 8, 1912-March 17, 1941) was a German U-boat commander during World War II.

[edit] Career

Schepke was the son of a Navy officer, and he joined the Kriegsmarine in 1930. In 1934 he was assigned to the U-boat arm, and in 1938 he commanded U3. At the outbreak of World War II he took U3 to war against Allied shipping. After a short stint commanding U19 and serving in a staff position Schepke received the command of U100, a Type VIIb boat. After 5 patrols in U100 she was heavily damaged on March 17, 1941 by depth charges from HMS Walker and HMS Vanoc while executing an attack on convoy HX-112. U100 was forced to surface and consequently rammed by HMS Vanoc. Schepke and 37 crewmembers perished in the ocean; 6 crewmembers were rescued. Schepke was last reported on the bridge of U100. When HMS Vanoc rammed his boat, his legs were crushed beneath the periscope, and he went down with his boat.

Joachim Schepke had sunk 37 ships for a total of 155,882 GRT, and damaged 4 more. He was awarded the Knight's cross with Oak Leaves. Schepke, Günther Prien and Otto Kretschmer were friendly rivals in the U-boat service, and were the most famous U-boat commanders in the early years of the war. Schepke was the most favourite of these three, because in contrast to the others he was a convinced National Socialist. In February 1941 he made a speech in the Berlin Sportpalast for thousands of Berlin schoolchildren about the U-boat war. After his death the German propaganda ministry held him as an example for the German youth to follow.