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Albrecht AchillesGerman submarine officer during World War II
Date of Birth: 15.01.1914
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Albrecht Achilles: A Distinguished U-Boat Commander
- Transition to Submarine Warfare
- - He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the U-boat War Badge.
- Command of U-161
- Honors and Awards
- Fateful End
- - Achilles perished with the boat and her entire crew.
Albrecht Achilles: A Distinguished U-Boat Commander
Early Life and Naval Career- Albrecht Achilles was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, on January 25, 1914.
- He embarked on his naval career in April 1934, joining the officer cadet training program (Crew 34).
- Before 1940, Achilles served on the obsolete battleship "Schleswig-Holstein" and the battlecruiser "Gneisenau."
- He then underwent training at the Mürwik naval school, graduating in April 1940.
Transition to Submarine Warfare
- Achilles was transferred to the submarine branch in April 1940.- As an officer, he participated in three patrols aboard U-66 (IXC type) under the command of Richard Zapp.
- He was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class and the U-boat War Badge.
- On September 1, 1941, he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant Commander).
Command of U-161
- On January 1, 1942, Achilles took over command of U-161 (IXC type) from Hans-Ludwig Witt.
- As commander, Achilles conducted six war patrols, primarily in the Caribbean Sea but also in the South Atlantic and off the coast of Africa.
- U-161 sank 13 merchant ships (63,412 GRT), one warship (1,130 tons), and damaged five ships (35,672 GRT) and the British light cruiser HMS Phoebe (5,450 tons).
Honors and Awards
- Achilles received the Iron Cross 1st Class after his second patrol, on April 5, 1942.
- On January 16, 1943, he became a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross recipient after his fourth patrol.
Fateful End
- On September 27, 1943, near Bahia, Brazil, U-161 was attacked and sunk by a U.S. Navy PBM Mariner aircraft from VP-74.
- Achilles perished with the boat and her entire crew.
- On April 5, 1945, Achilles was posthumously promoted to Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander).
