Rolf Thomsen

Rolf Thomsen
Born (1915-05-06)6 May 1915
Died 26 March 2003(2003-03-26) (aged 87)
Allegiance  Nazi Germany
 West Germany
Service/branch  Kriegsmarine
 German Navy
Years of service 1936–45
1955–72
Rank Kapitänleutnant (Kriegsmarine)
Flottillenadmiral (Bundesmarine)
Unit battleship Schlesien
Kampfgeschwader 26
Commands held U-1202
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Rolf Thomsen (6 May 1915 – 26 March 2003) was a U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. As a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, he is known for his exaggerated claims while in command of the German submarine U-1202.

Thomsen served as a naval aviator from 1939 until early 1943. He transferred to the U-boat service on 1 January 1944 and on 27 January 1944 commissioned U-1202. During two patrols, Thomsen claimed to have sunk a destroyer, two corvettes, six freighters and an escort carrier, for which he received the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves. Only one of these ship, Dan Beard, was lost by the Allies.[1]

Thomsen served in the Bundesmarine of West Germany since 1955, achieving the rank of Flotilla Admiral in 1966.[2]

Awards

References

Citations

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. 
  • Neitzel, Sönke; Welzer, Harald (2012). Soldaten: On Fighting, Killing and Dying. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-84983-949-5. 
  • 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. 
  • 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. 
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