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Wilhelm Franken

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Allegiance
  
Nazi Germany

Rank
  
Korvettenkapitan

Service/branch
  
Kriegsmarine

Years of service
  
1935–45

Name
  
Wilhelm Franken

Commands held
  
German submarine U-565

Born
  
11 September 1914 Schildische, district of Bielefeld (
1914-09-11
)

Battles/wars
  
World War II Battle of the Atlantic

Died
  
January 13, 1945, Kiel, Germany

Awards
  
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Battles and wars
  
Battle of the Atlantic, World War II

Unit
  
Gorch Fock, German cruiser Karlsruhe, German destroyer Z6 Theodor Riedel

Wilhelm Franken (11 September 1914 in Bielefeld-Schildesche – 13 January 1945 in Kiel) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and 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. Franken was killed in a fire on board the Daresalam.

Contents

Ships attacked

As the commander of U-boat U-565 Franken is credited with the sinking of three ships with a total of 11,347 gross register tons (GRT), damaging two ships of 17,565 GRT and sinking one warship, the British destroyer HMS Partridge, of 1,540 metric tons (1,520 long tons; 1,700 short tons).

Awards

  • Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (4 April 1939)
  • Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (14 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (28 January 1942)
  • Sudetenland Medal (31 May 1940)
  • U-boat War Badge (1939) (15 October 1941)
  • High Seas Fleet Badge (28 January 1942)
  • Croce di Guerra with Swords (30 March 1942)
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 April 1943 as Kapitanleutnant and commander of U-565
  • Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (29 May 1943)

    • References

    Wilhelm Franken Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA