The Men - The Commander listing

Helmut Witte

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 34)

Successes
23 ships sunk for a total of 119.554 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total of 265 GRT

Born	6 Apr, 1915	Bojendorf, Holstein, Fehmarn
Died	3 Oct, 2005	Duisburg

Helmut Witte

Ranks

26 Sep, 1934	Seekadett
1 Jul, 1935	Fähnrich zur See
1 Jan, 1937	Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Apr, 1937	Leutnant zur See
1 Apr, 1939	Oberleutnant zur See
1 Sep, 1941	Kapitänleutnant
20 Apr, 1945	Korvettenkapitän

Decorations

6 Jun, 1939	Spanish Cross
12 Jan, 1940	Iron Cross 2nd Class
10 Jul, 1941	Iron Cross 1st Class
22 Oct, 1942	Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-159

4 Oct, 1941

6 Jun, 1943

4 patrols (261 days)

Personal information

Helmut Witte after patrol

Helmut Witte began his naval career in April 1934. Later he served on the light cruiser Köln, on the destroyer Z-22, and on several torpedo boats. In July 1940 Witte transferred to the U-boat force. After the usual training he became IWO on the newly commissioned U-107 under Kptlt. Hessler. Before he left the boat in July 1941, he had taken part in the most successful patrol of the war.

He commissioned U-159 in October 1941 and operated in the waters of Panama on his second patrol. On his third patrol U-159 was a part of the wolfpack Eisbär, which operated in the waters off Capetown in September 1942. He left the boat in June 1943 and served from then until the end of the war in several staff positions.

After two months in British captivity, he worked for a time as a farm hand and factory worker. Later he built up a successful civil career and in the 1960s became personnel manager of a great German industry group.

Patrol info

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-159	22 Apr, 1942	Kiel	3 May, 1942	Lorient	Patrol,	12 days
2.	U-159	14 May, 1942	Lorient	13 Jul, 1942	Lorient	Patrol,	61 days
3.	U-159	24 Aug, 1942	Lorient	5 Jan, 1943	Lorient	Patrol,	135 days
4.	U-159	4 Mar, 1943	Lorient	25 Apr, 1943	Lorient	Patrol,	53 days
					4 patrols, 261 days at sea

Ships hit by Helmut Witte

Date	Boat	Name of ship	Tons	Nat.		Convoy	Fate *
21 May, 1942	U-159	Montenol	2.646		br	OS-28
21 May, 1942	U-159	New Brunswick	6.529		br	OS-28
2 Jun, 1942	U-159	Illinois	5.447		am
5 Jun, 1942	U-159	Paracury	265		bz		damaged
5 Jun, 1942	U-159	Sally	150		ho
7 Jun, 1942	U-159	Edith	3.382		am
11 Jun, 1942	U-159	Fort Good Hope	7.130		br
13 Jun, 1942	U-159	Sixaola	4.693		am
13 Jun, 1942	U-159	Solon Turman	6.762		am
18 Jun, 1942	U-159	Flora	1.417		nl
19 Jun, 1942	U-159	Ante Matkovic	2.710		yu
22 Jun, 1942	U-159	E.J. Sadler	9.639		am
7 Oct, 1942	U-159	Boringia	5.821		br
8 Oct, 1942	U-159	Clan Mactavish	7.631		br
9 Oct, 1942	U-159	Coloradan	6.557		am
13 Oct, 1942	U-159	Empire Nomad	7.167		br
29 Oct, 1942	U-159	Laplace	7.327		br
29 Oct, 1942	U-159	Ross	4.978		br
7 Nov, 1942	U-159	La Salle	5.462		am
13 Nov, 1942	U-159	Star of Scotland	2.290		am
13 Dec, 1942	U-159	City of Bombay	7.140		br
15 Dec, 1942	U-159	Star of Suez	4.999		ag
16 Dec, 1942	U-159	East Wales	4.358		br

28 Mar, 1943	U-159	Silverbeech	5.319		br	RS-3
			119.819
* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.