Günther Müller-Stöckheim
Encyclopedia
Günther Müller-Stöckheim (17 December 1913 in Klein Stöckheim, district of Braunschweig
—16 July 1943 in the Atlantic Ocean
) was a German
U-boat
commander in World War II
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
.
in April 1934. He served for a time on the battleship , and was a training officer at the Marineschule Mürwik Naval Academy. He transferred to the U-boat force in April 1940, and made two patrols as 1st Watch Officer of under Karl-Heinz Moehle
in early 1941. In July 1941 Müller-Stöckheim took command of the Type IXC
U-boat and made eight patrols in the North and mid-Atlantic and in Caribbean waters, sinking thirteen merchant ships totalling , and damaging five more .
Müller-Stöckheim was killed when U-67 was sunk on 16 July 1943 in the Atlantic Ocean by bombs from an Avenger
torpedo bomber
from the escort carrier . Only three of her crew of 51 survived.
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
—16 July 1943 in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
) was a German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
commander in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
Career
Müller-Stöckheim joined the KriegsmarineKriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
in April 1934. He served for a time on the battleship , and was a training officer at the Marineschule Mürwik Naval Academy. He transferred to the U-boat force in April 1940, and made two patrols as 1st Watch Officer of under Karl-Heinz Moehle
Karl-Heinz Moehle
Karl-Heinz Moehle was a German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in June 1941, he sank 21 ships for a total of . For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross , among other commendations...
in early 1941. In July 1941 Müller-Stöckheim took command of the Type IXC
German Type IX submarine
The Type IX U-boat was designed by Germany in 1935 and 1936 as a large ocean-going submarine for sustained operations far from the home support facilities. Type IX boats were briefly used for patrols off the eastern United States in an attempt to disrupt the stream of troops and supplies bound for...
U-boat and made eight patrols in the North and mid-Atlantic and in Caribbean waters, sinking thirteen merchant ships totalling , and damaging five more .
Müller-Stöckheim was killed when U-67 was sunk on 16 July 1943 in the Atlantic Ocean by bombs from an Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
torpedo bomber
Torpedo bomber
A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes which could also carry out conventional bombings. Torpedo bombers existed almost exclusively prior to and during World War II when they were an important element in many famous battles, notably the...
from the escort carrier . Only three of her crew of 51 survived.
Awards
- Iron CrossIron CrossThe Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
2nd Class (1 March 1941) - U-boat War BadgeU-boat War BadgeThe U-Boat War Badge was a German war badge that was awarded to U-boat crew members during World War I and World War II.-History:The U-boat War Badge was originally instituted during the First World War on February 1, 1918. It was awarded to recognize U-boat crews who had completed three war patrols...
1939 (4 May 1941) - Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
(27 November 1942)