The Men - U-boat Commanders

Albrecht Achilles

Korvettenkapitän (Crew 34)

Successes
12 ships sunk, total tonnage 60,107 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,130 tons
5 ships damaged, total tonnage 35,672 GRT
1 warship damaged, total tonnage 5,450 tons
1 ship a total loss, total tonnage 3,305 GRT

Born	25 Jan 1914		Karlsruhe
Died	27 Sep 1943	(29)	Bahia, Brazil

Albrecht Achilles

Ranks

8 Apr 1934		Offiziersanwärter
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
5 Apr 1945		Korvettenkapitän (posthumous)

Decorations

15 Jul 1941		Fleet War Badge
7 Aug 1941		Iron Cross 2nd Class
7 Aug 1941		U-boat War Badge 1939
5 Apr 1942		Iron Cross 1st Class
16 Jan 1943		Knights Cross

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-161	1 Jan 1942	27 Sep 1943 (+)	6 patrols (435 days)

Kptlt. Albrecht Achilles after a patrol

Albrecht Achilles began his naval career in April 1934. He then served on the school ship Schleswig-Holstein and on the battleship Gneisenau. After a year at the Marineschule Mürwik instructing future officers, he transferred to the U-boat force in April 1940.

After the usual training he made three patrols on U-66 under Korvkpt. Richard Zapp. He left the boat in November 1941 and in January 1942 took command of the IXC boat U-161. He operated mostly in the Caribbean, but also in Brazilian and African waters. In March 1942 he sank the US Coast Guard ship Acacia and in October of that year damaged the British light cruiser Phoebe (5,450 tons).

Albrecht Achilles died when U-161 was sunk with all hands in September 1943 by a US Mariner aircraft northeast of Bahia.

Sources

Busch, R. and Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.
Niestlé, A. (1998). German U-boat losses during World War II.

Patrol info for Albrecht Achilles

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-161	3 Jan 1942	Kiel	15 Jan 1942	Lorient	Patrol 1,	13 days
2.	U-161	24 Jan 1942	Lorient	2 Apr 1942	Lorient	Patrol 2,	69 days
3.	U-161	28 Apr 1942	Lorient	7 Aug 1942	Lorient	Patrol 3,	102 days
4.	U-161	19 Sep 1942	Lorient	9 Jan 1943	Lorient	Patrol 4,	113 days
5.	U-161	13 Mar 1943	Lorient	7 Jun 1943	Lorient	Patrol 5,	87 days
6.	U-161	8 Aug 1943	Lorient	27 Sep 1943	Sunk	Patrol 6,	51 days
6 patrols, 435 days at sea

Ships hit by Albrecht Achilles

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
19 Feb 1942	U-161	British Consul (d.)	6,940	br
19 Feb 1942	U-161	Mokihana (d.)	7,460	am
21 Feb 1942	U-161	Circe Shell	8,207	br	ON-60
23 Feb 1942	U-161	Lihue	7,001	am
7 Mar 1942	U-161	Uniwaleco	9,755	sa
10 Mar 1942	U-161	Lady Nelson (d.)	7,970	ca
10 Mar 1942	U-161	Umtata (d.)	8,141	br
14 Mar 1942	U-161	Sarniadoc	1,940	ca
15 Mar 1942	U-161	USCGC Acacia (WAGL 200)	1,130	am
16 Jun 1942	U-161	Nueva Altagracia	30	do
3 Jul 1942	U-161	San Pablo (t.)	3,305	pa
16 Jul 1942	U-161	Fairport	6,165	am	AS-4
23 Oct 1942	U-161	HMS Phoebe (43) (d.)	5,450	br
8 Nov 1942	U-161	Benalder (d.)	5,161	br	ST-40
8 Nov 1942	U-161	West Humhaw	5,527	am	ST-40
29 Nov 1942	U-161	Tjileboet	5,760	nl	ON-145
12 Dec 1942	U-161	Ripley	4,997	br

19 May 1943	U-161	Angelus	255	ca
20 Sep 1943	U-161	St. Usk	5,472	br
26 Sep 1943	U-161	Itapagé	4,998	bz
			105,664
14 ships sunk (64,542 tons) and 6 ships damaged (41,122 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel. (d.) means the ship was damaged. (t.) means the ship was a total loss (included in ships & tonnage lost).