Heinz Bielfeld

Heinz Bielfeld
Born (1916-08-30)30 August 1916
Tianjin, China
Died 11 July 1944(1944-07-11) (aged 27)
Bay of Biscay
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
Years of service 1934–1944
Rank Kapitänleutnant
Commands held U-703
U-1222
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Iron Cross 2nd Class, U-boat War Badge 1939, Iron Cross 1st Class, German Cross in Gold

Heinz Bielfeld (30 August 1916 – 11 July 1944) was a German U-boat commander[1] in World War II.

Naval career

Heinz Bielfeld joined the Reichsmarine in April 1934. From November 1938 to April 1940 he served with the Aircraft Weapons School. Between May and September 1940 he served with the Küstenfliegersgruppe 506. From October 1940 to February 1941, Bielfeld went through U-boat training, including a stint as a supernumerary Watch Officer on U-97. Bielfeld then went through U-boat commander sea training as Watch Officer on the school boat U-151 during February to August 1941.

From August to October 1941 he went through the U-boat commander course and construction crew (Baubelehrung) before taking command of his U-703 on 16 October 1941. Bielfeld would then take the boat on seven patrols of 150 days at sea. In July 1943 be was again sent to be a part of construction crew, this time taking command of U-1222 on 1 September 1943.

Death

On 11 July 1944, 87 days into its first war patrol, U-1222 was sunk in the Bay of Biscay west of La Rochelle, in position 46°31′N 05°29′E / 46.517°N 5.483°E / 46.517; 5.483Coordinates: 46°31′N 05°29′E / 46.517°N 5.483°E / 46.517; 5.483, by depth charges from a British Sunderland aircraft (Sqdn 201/P). As well as Bielfeld all 55 members of the crew were killed.

Summary of Career

Ships attacked

DateU-boatName of shipNationalityTonnageFate
26 May 1942 U-703 Syros United States6,191 Sunk
5 July 1942 U-703 Empire Byron United Kingdom6,645 Sunk
5 July 1942 U-703 River Afton United Kingdom5,479 Sunk
20 September 1942 U-703 HMS Somali United Kingdom1,870 Sunk

Awards

References

Notes
  1. "Kapitänleutnant Heinz Bielfeld". uboat.net. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
  2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 42.
Bibliography
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
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