uboat.net

Richard Zapp

Fregattenkapitän (Crew 26)


Successes
16 ships sunk for a total of 106.200 GRT
1 ship damaged for a total of 12.502 GRT

Born  3 Apr, 1904Germersheim, Pfalz
Died  17 Jul, 1964


Korvettenkapitän Richard Zapp

Ranks

12 Oct, 1926Seekadett
1 Apr, 1928Fähnrich zur See
1 Jun, 1930Oberfähnrich zur See
1 Oct, 1930Leutnant zur See
1 May, 1933Oberleutnant zur See
1 Apr, 1936Kapitänleutnant
1 Apr, 1941Korvettenkapitän
1 Jan, 1945Fregattenkapitän

Decorations

14 May, 1941U-boat War Badge 1939
6 Aug, 1941Iron Cross 2nd Class
6 Aug, 1941Iron Cross 1st Class
23 Apr, 1942Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-662 Jan, 1941 - 21 Jun, 1942  5 patrols (264 days) 

Personal information

Richard Zapp began his naval career in May 1923. Later he served on minesweepers and in naval anti-aircraft units (Marineflak) before transferring in April 1940 to the U-boat force. After the usual training he served for one short patrol on U-46 under Oblt. Engelbert Endrass, where he participated in the battle against HX-79 in October 1940.

Richard Zapp commissioned U-66 in January 1941. After three patrols in Atlantic waters, he was one of the five boats operating in the first wave of operation Paukenschlag. On this patrol he sank five ships for a total of 33,456 tons. Also successful was his second patrol in US waters with six ships sunk for a total of 43,946 tons. After this patrol Korvkpt. Zapp left the boat and became the commander of the 3rd Flotilla in La Rochelle, France. In the last months of the war he also took command of the Marine Regiment Zapp and defended the U-boat base at La Rochelle right up to the end of the war in May 1945. He then spent more than two years in French captivity.


Richard Zapp
Korvkpt. Richard Zapp on U-66 after patrol.

Patrol info


 U-boatDeparture Arrival  
1. U-66 13 May, 1941  Kiel 11 Jun, 1941  Lorient Patrol,30 days
2. U-66 23 Jun, 1941  Lorient 5 Aug, 1941  Lorient Patrol,44 days
3. U-66 28 Aug, 1941  Lorient 9 Nov, 1941  Lorient Patrol,74 days
4. U-66 25 Dec, 1941  Lorient 10 Feb, 1942  Lorient Patrol,48 days
5. U-66 21 Mar, 1942  Lorient 27 May, 1942  Lorient Patrol,68 days

5 patrols, 264 days at sea

Ships hit by Richard Zapp


Date BoatName of shipTonsNat.ConvoyFate *
29 Jun, 1941 U-66George J. Goulandris4.345 gr SL-78 
29 Jun, 1941 U-66Kalypso Vergotti5.686 gr SL-78 
30 Jun, 1941 U-66Saint Anselm5.614 br SL-78 
19 Jul, 1941 U-66Holmside3.433 br OG-67 
26 Sep, 1941 U-66I.C. White7.052 pa 
 
18 Jan, 1942 U-66Allan Jackson6.635 am 
19 Jan, 1942 U-66Lady Hawkins7.988 ca 
22 Jan, 1942 U-66Olympic5.335 pa 
24 Jan, 1942 U-66Empire Gem8.139 br 
24 Jan, 1942 U-66Venore8.017 am 
14 Apr, 1942 U-66Korthion2.116 gr 
16 Apr, 1942 U-66Amsterdam7.329 nl 
17 Apr, 1942 U-66Heinrich von Riedemann11.020 pa 
26 Apr, 1942 U-66Alcoa Partner5.513 am 
29 Apr, 1942 U-66Harry G. Seidel10.354 pa 
2 May, 1942 U-66Sandar7.624 nw 
3 May, 1942 U-66Geo. W. McKnight12.502 br ON-87 damaged
 118.702

* Unless otherwise noted the ships listed here were sunk.


Decorations and ranks information is in many cases not complete. If you can help on any of those missing that would be great.

Listing of all U-boat commanders