Wilhelm Dommes


Wilhelm Dommes was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. He is notable as being the commander of U-boats in the Indian Ocean, whereby German and Japanese forces fought together in the only time in the war. He was the first commander of the U-boat base, in the former British seaplane base in Penang, where he served as head of the Southeast Asia U-boat region.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As commander of and Wilhelm Dommes is credited with the sinking of eight ships for a total of, sinking one auxiliary warship of, two warships of, and damaging one ship of and one warship of.

DateU-boatShipNationalityTonnageFate
2 October 1941U-431Hatasu3,198Sunk
13 December 1941U-431Myriel3,560Damaged
29 January 1942U-431HMS Sotra313Sunk
20 May 1942U-431Eocene4,216Sunk
15 June 1942U-431HMS LCT-119450Damaged
10 November 1942U-4311,920Sunk
13 November 1942U-4311,628Sunk
1 June 1943U-178Salabangka6,586Sunk
4 July 1943U-178Breiviken2,669Sunk
4 July 1943U-178Michael Livanos4,774Sunk
11 July 1943U-178Mary Livanos4,771Sunk
14 July 1943U-178Robert Bacon7,197Sunk
17 July 1943U-178City of Canton6,692Sunk

Awards