Years of service 1937–42
1957–74 Commands held German submarine U-737 | Name Paul Brasack | |
Born 9 May 1916
Stettin ( 1916-05-09 ) Allegiance Nazi Germany (to 1945)
West Germany Service/branch Luftwaffe (to 1942)
Kriegsmarine
German Navy Rank Kapitanleutnant (Wehrmacht)
Kapitan zur See (Bundesmarine) Unit SSS Gorch Fock
Schlesien
cruiser Koln
KG 3 "General Wever"
U-590 Battles/wars World War II
Battle of the Atlantic Died March 11, 2013, Bad Pyrmont, Germany Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Battles and wars Battle of the Atlantic, World War II | ||
Paul Brasack (9 May 1916 – 11 March 2013) was a Kapitanleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and commander of U-737. He was born in Stettin. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
As a U-boat commander Brasack was not credited with sinking any ships. His U-boat was part of a wolf pack which operated against Convoy JW 56A and Convoy JW 56B. He fired at the destroyer HMS Milne on 31 January 1944, but missed, the torpedo exploded in the destroyers wake. His actions against the convoys pulled off the escorting destroyers enabling other U-boats of his wolf pack to attack. For these actions he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
Following World War 2, Brasack joined the Bundesmarine of the Federal Republic of Germany on 1 October 1957. He commanded the destroyer Zerstorer 2 (D171) (formerly USS Ringgold (DD-500)) from September 1962 until March 1964. From 15 September 1968 to 1 September 1971 he served as naval attache at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C..