A submarine ace is a submarine

Submarine

A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...

 commander who has sunk 100,000 tons or more in kills.

In World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, 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...

 commanders upon sinking 100,000 tons became U-boat aces. 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...

, U-boat commanders upon sinking 100,000 tons and becoming U-boat aces, were awarded 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...

 (RK), under the points system instituted by Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...

. Those that exceeded 200,000 tons were eligible for the Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Sources

• Washington Post, "War & Ambivalence; Captured U-boat captain Werner Henke was branded a war criminal and shot like a dog. So why is someone putting flowers on his grave?", Ken Ringle, 2001 April 22
• Challenge Publications, "The U-Boat Ace of Aces", Rear Admiral William H. Langenberg USN, 2004
• Naval Institute Press, "Battle of the Atlantic", Bernard Ireland, 2003
• Arbor House, "The U-boat Wars", Edwin Palmer Hoyt, 1984
• University of Michigan, "Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars, 1916-1945", John Terraine, 1989
• Sidgwick and Jackson, "We captured a U-boat", Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery USN, 1957 "Grossadmiral Karl Dönitz: vom U-Boot-Kommandanten zum Staatsoberhaupt", Franz Kurowski, 1983 "Die deutschen Uboote 1906 bis 1945", Bodo Herzog, 1954

Further reading

• Naval Institute Press, "Wolf: U-Boat Commanders in World War II", Jordan Vause, 1987, ISBN 1557508747
• Naval Institute Press, "Silent Hunters: German U-Boat Commanders of World War II", Theodore P. Savas, 2003, ISBN 1591148170
• Naval Institute Press, "First U-Boat Flotilla", Lawrence Paterson, 2002, ISBN 1557502951
• Naval Institute Press, "Second U-Boat Flotilla", Lawrence Paterson, 2003, ISBN 0850529174
• Naval Institute Press, "U-Boat Ace: The Story of Wolfgang Lüth", Jordan Vause, 2001, ISBN 1557508631

External links

• Diver Magazine, HMS Moldavia (accessed 20 April 2009)