Rolf Mützelburg
| Rolf Mützelburg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
23 June 1913 Kiel |
| Died |
11 September 1942 (aged 29) Atlantic Ocean 36°14′N 31°21′W / 36.233°N 31.350°W |
| Allegiance |
.svg.png){kind=small} Weimar Republic .svg.png){kind=small} Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
.svg.png){kind=small} Reichsmarine.svg.png){kind=small} Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1931–42 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
| Unit |
21st U-boat Flotilla 1st U-boat Flotilla |
| Commands held |
U-10 U-203 |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
Rolf Mützelburg (23 June 1913 – 11 September 1942) was a German U-boat commander during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Mützelburg died on active service on 11 September 1942 following an accident at sea.
Career
Mützelburg joined the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic on 1 April 1932 as member of "Crew 32" (the incoming class of 1932). After spending two years on minesweepers, in October 1939 he joined the U-boat arm.[1] He spent five months commanding the school boat U-10 from June to November 1940 as part of 21st U-boat Flotilla,[2] receiving his first combat experience aboard U-100 under Joachim Schepke. He commissioned U-203 into 1st U-boat Flotilla in February 1941. On his eight patrols in the Atlantic, the US east coast, and the Caribbean Sea, he sank 19 ships for a total of 81,961 gross register tons (GRT), and damaged three more (17,052 GRT).[1]
Mützelburg died on 11 September 1942 in a freak accident. He was swimming in the Atlantic south-west of the Azores, and dove from the conning tower, but struck the deck head-first when the U-boat suddenly lurched in the swell. The supply U-boat U-462 arrived the next day with a doctor on board, but too late, and Mützelburg was buried at sea on 12 September 1942.[1]
Summary of career
Ships attacked
| Date | Ship | Nationality | GRT | Convoy | Fate[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 June 1941 | Kinross |  United Kingdom | 4,956 | OB-336 | Sunk |
| 24 June 1941 | Soløy |  Norway | 4,402 | HX-133 | Sunk |
| 27 July 1941 | Hawkinge | United Kingdom | 2,475 | OG-69 | Sunk |
| 28 July 1941 | Lapland | United Kingdom | 1,330 | OG-69 | Sunk |
| 28 July 1941 | Norita |  Sweden | 1,516 | OG-69 | Sunk |
| 26 September 1941 | Avoceta | United Kingdom | 3,442 | HG-73 | Sunk |
| 26 September 1941 | Lapwing | United Kingdom | 1,348 | HG-73 | Sunk |
| 26 September 1941 | Varangberg | Norway | 2,842 | HG-73 | Sunk |
| 3 November 1941 | Empire Gemsbuck | United Kingdom | 5,626 | SC-52 | Sunk |
| 3 November 1941 | Everoja | United Kingdom | 4,830 | SC-52 | Sunk |
| 15 January 1942 | Catalina |  Portugal | 632 | Sunk | |
| 17 January 1942 | Octavian | Norway | 1,345 | Sunk | |
| 21 January 1942 | North Gaspe |  Canada | 888 | Damaged | |
| 10 April 1942 | San Delfino | United Kingdom | 8,072 | Sunk | |
| 11 April 1942 | Harry F. Sinclair, Jr. | .svg.png){kind=small} United States | 6,151 | Damaged | |
| 12 April 1942 | Stanvac Melbourne |  Panama | 10,013 | Damaged | |
| 14 April 1942 | Empire Thrush | United Kingdom | 6,160 | Sunk | |
| 26 June 1942 | Pedrinhas |  Brazil | 3,666 | Sunk | |
| 26 June 1942 | Putney Hill | United Kingdom | 5,216 | Sunk | |
| 28 June 1942 | Sam Houston | United States | 7,176 | Sunk | |
| 9 July 1942 | Cape Verde | United Kingdom | 6,914 | Sunk | |
| 11 July 1942 | Stanvac Palembang | Panama | 10,013 | Sunk |
Awards
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (15 August 1936)[4]
- Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (1 July 1941) & 1st Class (1 July 1941)[5]
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (1 July 1941)[5]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 17 November 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-203[6]
- Oak Leaves on 15 July 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-203[7]
References
Notes
- 1 2 3 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Kapitänleutnant Rolf Mützelburg". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur. "The Type IIB U-boat U-10". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
- ↑ http://uboat.net/boats/successes/u.203/html%7Caccess date 2 February 2013
- ↑ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 156.
- 1 2 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 157.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 319.
- ↑ Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
Bibliography
- Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.