Otto Kretschmer | Timeline

Otto Kretschmer (1 May 1912 – 5 August 1998) was the most successful German U-boat commander in the Second World War and later an admiral in the Bundesmarine. From September 1939 until being captured in March 1941, he sank 47 ships, a total of 274,333 tons. For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern), among other awards. He earned the nickname "Silent Otto" both for his successful use of the "silent running" capability of U-boats as well as for his reluctance to transmit radio messages during patrols. After the war, he served in the German Federal Navy and retired in 1970 with the rank of Flottillenadmiral (flotilla admiral. (Intro from Wikipedia)

(information needed for his early life and post-WW2 life)

May 1, 1912 - Heidau (Hajduki Nyskie) - Otto Kretschmer is born
January(?) 1(?), 1929 - Exeter, England - Kretschmer lives 8 months in England - learns english fluently
April 1(?), 1930 - Kretschmer joins the Reichsmarine
October 9, 1930 - Attains rank of Seekadett after Course and 3 months in the training ship "Niobe"
October 10, 1930 - Assigned to the light cruiser "Emden"
January(?) 1(?), 1932 - Promoted to Fähnrich zur See
January 4, 1932 - End of service aboard the "Emden"
June 1(?), 1932 - Assigned to the survey vessel "meteor" - further training
April 1, 1934 - Promoted to Oberfähnrich zur See
October 1, 1934 - Promoted to Leutnant zur See
December 1(?), 1934 - Transfered to the light cruiser "Köln"
January 1(?), 1936 - Transfered to the U-boat force - extensive training
June 1(?), 1936 - Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See
July 31, 1937 - Kiel - Appointed commander of the U-35 =(START)
August 15, 1937 - Kiel - After a patrol in the spanish coast, the U-35 returns, and a new captain is appointed
August 20(?), 1937 - Kiel - Kretschmer is appointed captain of the U-23
August 25, 1939 - Wilhelmshaven - Departs for first patrol in U-23
September 4, 1939 - Wilhelmshaven - Returns from first Patrol in U-23
September 9, 1939 - Wilhelmshaven - Departs for second patrol in U-23
September 21, 1939 - Kiel - Returns from second Patrol on U-23
September 29, 1939 - Kiel - Departs to Wilhelmshaven
September 30, 1939 - Wilhelmshaven - Kretschmer arrives at Wilhelmshaven
October 1, 1939 - Wilhelmshaven - Departed for his third patrol in U-23
October 2, 1939 - Center of North Sea - daily position
October 4, 1939 - E Shetland Islands - Sunken ship - "Glen Farg"
October 5, 1939 - SE Shetland Islands - daily position
October 10, 1939 - W-SW Bergen - daily position
October 12, 1939 - E-NE Aberdeen - daily position
October 16, 1939 - Kiel - Returns from his third Patrol
October 17, 1939 - Awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class
November 1, 1939 - Kiel - Departed for his fourth patrol in the U-23
November 3, 1939 - Moray Firth - Lays mines
November 4, 1939 - Off Cromarty Firth, Scotland - Lays mines
November 9, 1939 - Kiel - Arrives from Patrol. Awarded the u-boat war badge 1939
December 5, 1939 - Kiel - Departed for his fifth patrol in the U-23
December 7, 1939 - N of Aberdeen - daily position
December 8, 1939 - Between England and Norway - Sunken ship - "Scotia"
December 15, 1939 - Kiel - Returns from his fifth Patrol
December 17, 1939 - Awarded the Iron Cross 1st class
January 8, 1940 - Kiel - Departed for his sixth patrol in the U-23
January 11, 1940 - S Shetland Islands - Sunken ship - "Fredville"
January 12, 1940 - Inganess Bay, Kirkwall - Sunken tanker - "Danmark" - Orkney Islands
January 15, 1940 - Kiel - Returns from his sixth patrol
January 18, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Departed for his seventh patrol in the U-23
January 24, 1940 - Between Shetlands and Faroe Islands - Sunken Ship - "Varild"
January 29, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Returns from his seventh Patrol
February 9, 1940 - WIlhelmshaven - Departed for his eighth patrol in the U-23
February 12, 1940 - Between Norway and northern tip of scotland - daily position
February 18, 1940 - Pentland Firth - E Orkney Islands - Sunken destroyer - "HMS Daring"
February 19, 1940 - Pentland Firth - E Orkney Islands - Sunken ship - "Tiberton"
February 22, 1940 - Pentland Firth - E Orkney Islands - Sunken ship - "Loch Maddy"
February 25, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Returns from his eighth Patrol
February 26, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Departs for Kiel
February 28, 1940 - Kiel - Arrives at Kiel
April 1, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Kretschmer is transfered to the U-99, a Type VII submarine
June 18, 1940 - Kiel - Departs for his first patrol in the U-99
June 19, 1940 - W Helgoland - daily position
June 21, 1940 - W of Stavanger - daily position
June 22, 1940 - off Børnestangen (near Bergen) - transfers an ill crewmember to the Stör. Damaged by an airplane - Kretschmer aborts the patrol
June 24, 1940 - Off Denmark-Germany border - Arrival at Wilhelmshaven delayed by fog
June 25, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Returns from his first Patrol as commander of U-99
June 27, 1940 - Wilhelmshaven - Departs for Lorient
June 29, 1940 - Between Scotland and Norway - daily position
July 1, 1940 - NNW Outer Hebrides - daily position
July 5, 1940 - SW Ireland - Sunken Ship - "Magog"
July 7, 1940 - S Ireland - 2 sunken ships - "Sea Glory" + "Bissen"
July 8, 1940 - S Ireland - Sunken ship - "Humber Arm"
July 12, 1940 - WSW Ireland - 2 sunken ships - "Merisaar" + "Ia"
July 18, 1940 - SW Ireland - sunken ship - "Woodbury"

Kretschmer (behind)
arrives in Lorient

July 21, 1940 - Lorient - Arrives to the new base in Lorient
July 25, 1940 - Lorient - Departed for his third patrol on the U-99
July 27, 1940 - SSW Ireland - daily position
July 28, 1940 - W Ireland - sunken ship - "Auckland Star"
July 29, 1940 - W Ireland - Sunken Ship - "Clan Menzies"
July 31, 1940 - N Ireland - 2 sunken ships - "Jamaica Progress", "Jersey City"
August 2, 1940 - WNW Ireland - 3 sunken ships - "Lucerna", "Alexia", "Strinda"
August 4, 1940 - W of Brest (open ocean) - Awarded the Knights Cross
August 5, 1940 - Lorient - Returns from his third Patrol in U-99
September 4, 1940 - Lorient - Departed for his fourth patrol in the U-99
September 6, 1940 - SW Ireland - daily position
September 10, 1940 - W-SW Outer Hebrides - daily position
September 11, 1940 - SE Rockall - sunken ship - "Albionic"
September 15, 1940 - W Scotland - sunken ship - "Kenordoc"
September 16, 1940 - W Scotland - sunken ship - "Lotos"
September 17, 1940 - W Scotland - sunken ship - "Crown Arun"
September 21, 1940 - W Scotland - 3 sunken ships - "Invershannon", "Elmbank", "Baron Blythswood"
September 23, 1940 - W-NW Brest (open ocean) - daily position
September 25, 1940 - Lorient - Returns from the fourth U-99 Patrol
October 13, 1940 - Lorient - Departs for the fifth patrol in the U-99
October 15, 1940 - W of Brest (open ocean) - daily position
October 18, 1940 - W Scotland - 3 sunken ships - "Empire Miniver", "Niritos", "Fiscus"
October 19, 1940 - W Scotland - 4 sunken ships - "Empire Brigade", "Thalia", "Snefjeld", "Clintonia"
October 22, 1940 - Lorient - Returns from his fifth patrol
October 30, 1940 - Lorient - Departs for the sixth patrol in U-99
November 1, 1940 - W of Brest (open ocean) - daily position
November 3, 1940 - NW Ireland Coast - sunken ship - "Casanare"
November 4, 1940 - NW Ireland Coast - 2 warships sunken - "HMS Laurentic", "HMS Patroclus" - Awarded Knights Cross with Oakleaves
November 5, 1940 - NW Ireland Coast - sunken ship - "Scottish Maiden"
November 8, 1940 - Lorient - Returns from sixth Patrol
November 27, 1940 - Lorient - Departed for the seventh patrol in the U-99
November 29, 1940 - W of Brest (open ocean) - daily position
December 2, 1940 - W Ireland - Sunken warship - "HMS Forfar" + "Samnanger"
December 3, 1940 - W Ireland - Sunken ship - "Conch"
December 7, 1940 - W Ireland - Sunken ship - "Farsum"
December 10, 1940 - W-NW Brest (open ocean) - daily position
December 12, 1940 - Lorient - Returns from his seventh Patrol in the U-99
February 22, 1941 - Lorient - Departs for the eighth patrol in the U-99
March 1, 1941 - Promoted to Korvettenkapitän
March 7, 1941 - Between Iceland and Scotland - 2 sunken Ships - "Terje Viken" + "Athelbeach"
March 16, 1941 - Between Iceland and Scotland - 6 sunken ships - "Ferm", "Venetia", "Korshamn", "White", "Franche"

"Silent Otto"

March 17, 1941 - SE Iceland - Kretschmer survives a depth charge attack but is captured - Fellow u-boat commander Joachim Schepke is killed
March 25(?), 1941 - Liverpool - Arrives at dockside in Liverpool as POW. Mobbed by angry women
April(?) 1(?), 1941 - London - Reaches London by train for interrogation
April(?) 15(?), 1941 - Grizedale Hall, NW England - Kretschmer is moved to Prisioner camp No.1 at Grizedale Hall
December 26, 1941 - Grizedale Hall - Awarded the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords - sent through Red Cross

March 1(?), 1942 - Bowmanville POW Camp, Ontario, Canada - Transported to Bowmanville Camp, near Lake Ontario, Canada
October 10, 1943 - Bowmanville POW Camp - "Battle of Bowmanville" - a Three-day revolt by german officers in Bowmanville POW camp

September 1, 1944 - Bowmanville POW Camp - Promoted to Fregattenkapitän

December 1, 1947 - Germany - Kretschmer is released and returns to Germany
January(?) 1(?), 1948 - Kiel - Starts studying law at Kiel University
January(?) 1(?), 1955 - ? - Joins the Bundesmarine
January(?) 1(?), 1957 - ? - Appointed Commanding Officer of the 1st Escort Squadron
November 1(?), 1958 - ? - Transfered to commander of the Amphibious Forces
December 12, 1958 - Promoted to Kapitän zur See
January(?) 1(?), 1962 - Bonn - Serves as Staff officer in NATO
January(?) 1(?), 1963 - Paris - NATO defence college course #24
May 1(?), 1965 - Kiel - Becomes Chief of Staff of the NATO command COMNAVBALTAP
January(?) 1(?), 1970 - ? - Kretschmer retires as a flotilla admiral
January(?) 1(?), 1989 - Emden - Kretschmer starts living in Emden
August 5, 1998 - Danube River, Bavaria - Otto Kretschmer dies in a boat accident, aged 86 =(END)