Heinrich Hoffmann (naval officer)
Heinrich Hoffmann | |
---|---|
Born |
Bottrop | 17 August 1910
Died |
29 January 1998 87) Schiffdorf | (aged
Allegiance |
Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany |
Service/branch |
Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine German Navy |
Years of service |
1930–45 1956–68 |
Rank |
Korvettenkapitän (Wehrmacht) Kapitän zur See (Bundesmarine) |
Unit |
SSS Niobe cruiser Lepzig cruiser Admiral Graf Spee |
Commands held |
5. Torpedobootflottille 1. Zerstörergeschwader |
Battles/wars | |
Awards |
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Cross of Merit 1st Class |
Heinrich Hoffmann (17 August 1910 – 29 January 1998) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
With only three serviceable torpedo boats, T-28, Jaguar and Möwe, at his disposal, Hoffmann attacked the Allied Invasion fleet, including the HMS Warspite and HMS Ramillies, near the Bay of the Seine on the morning of D-Day on 6 June 1944. During the attack, 18 torpedoes were launched, resulting in the sinking of the Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Svenner.
After World War II he rejoined the military of the Bundeswehr. In 1961 he became commander of the 1. Zerstörergeschwader (1st Destroyer Squadron), which included three former U.S. destroyers of the Fletcher-class, Z-1, Z-2 and Z-3.
Awards
- Iron Cross (1939)
- Destroyer War Badge (13 December 1940)[1]
- German Cross in Gold on 6 August 1942 as Kapitänleutnant on Torpedoboot Falke in the 5. Torpedobootflottille[3]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 7 June 1944 as Korvettenkapitän and chief of the 5. Torpedobootflottille[4][5]
- 524th Oak Leaves on 11 July 1944 as Korvettenkapitän and chief of the 5. Torpedobootflottille[4][6]
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (July 1968)[1]
References
Citations
Bibliography
- Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine, Band 1: A-K [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Surface Forces of the Navy—Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2453-0.
- Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
- Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
External links
{{military navigation |raw_name=Knight's Cross recipients of the torpedo boat force |style=wide |state= collapsed |title=Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of the Torpedoboot force |listclass = hlist |image= |list1=
- Hans Bütow
- Hans Dominik
- Wirich von Gartzen
- Heinrich Hoffmann (Oak Leaves)
- Franz Kohlauf
- Wilhelm Meentzen
- Friedrich-Karl Paul
- Hans Temming