Heinz Bielfeld

Kapitänleutnant (Crew 34)

Successes
3 ships sunk, total tonnage 18,315 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 1,870 tons

Born	30 Aug 1916		Tientsin, China
Died	11 Jul 1944	(27)	Bay of Biscay

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 Apr 1942		Kapitänleutnant

Decorations

1940		Iron Cross 2nd Class
1 Jun 1942		U-boat War Badge 1939
16 Jul 1942		Iron Cross 1st Class
31 Dec 1943		German Cross in Gold

U-boat Commands

U-boat	From	To
U-703	16 Oct 1941	5 Jul 1943	7 patrols (150 days)
U-1222	1 Sep 1943	11 Jul 1944 (+)	1 patrol (87 days)

Heinz Bielfeld joined the Kriegsmarine as part of Crew 34 in April 1934. From Nov 1938 to April 1940 he served with the Aircraft Weapons School. Between May and Sept 1940 he was with the Küstenfliegersgruppe 506.

He went through U-boat training, including a stint as a supernumerary WO on U-97, from Oct 1940 to Feb 1941. Bielfeld then went through U-boat commander sea training as Watch Officer on the school boat U-151 during Feb to Aug 1941.

From Aug to Oct 1941 he went through the U-boat commander course and construction crew (Baubelehrung) before taking command of his U-703 on 16 Oct 1941. Bielfeld would then take the boat on 7 patrols of 150 days at sea.

In July 1943 be was againt sent to be a part of construction crew, this time taking command of the U-1222 on 1 Sept 1943. Bielfeld died on that boat 87 days into its first war patrol on 11 July 1944.

Sources

Busch, R & Röll, H-J. (1998). German U-boat commanders of World War II.

Patrol info for Heinz Bielfeld

	U-boat	Departure		Arrival
1.	U-703	21 Mar 1942	Hamburg	22 Mar 1942	Helgoland		2 days
2.	U-703	1 Apr 1942	Helgoland	4 Apr 1942	Stavanger		4 days
3.	U-703	13 Apr 1942	Stavanger	13 Apr 1942	Bergen		1 days
4.	U-703	26 Apr 1942	Bergen	7 May 1942	Reinöy	Patrol 1,	12 days
5.	U-703	10 May 1942	Reinöy	13 May 1942	Skjomenfjord		4 days
6.	U-703	16 May 1942	Skjomenfjord	30 May 1942	Skjomenfjord	Patrol 2,	15 days
7.	U-703	1 Jun 1942	Skjomenfjord	4 Jun 1942	Bergen		4 days
8.	U-703	29 Jun 1942	Bergen	15 Jul 1942	Narvik	Patrol 3,	17 days
9.	U-703	2 Aug 1942	Narvik	4 Aug 1942	Trondheim		3 days
10.	U-703	9 Aug 1942	Trondheim	11 Sep 1942	Harstad	Patrol 4,	34 days
11.	U-703	11 Sep 1942	Harstad	11 Sep 1942	Skjomenfjord		1 days
12.	U-703	14 Sep 1942	Skjomenfjord	26 Sep 1942	Narvik	Patrol 5,	13 days
13.	U-703	28 Sep 1942	Narvik	30 Sep 1942	Trondheim		3 days
14.	U-703	28 Dec 1942	Trondheim	31 Dec 1942	Bergen		4 days
15.	U-703	7 Mar 1943	Bergen	5 Apr 1943	Hammerfest	Patrol 6,	30 days
16.	U-703	17 Apr 1943	Hammerfest	15 May 1943	Hammerfest	Patrol 7,	29 days
17.	U-703	18 May 1943	Hammerfest	19 May 1943	Narvik		2 days
18.	U-703	19 May 1943	Narvik	21 May 1943	Trondheim		3 days
19.	U-1222	13 Apr 1944	Kiel	15 Apr 1944	Marviken		3 days
20.	U-1222	16 Apr 1944	Marviken	11 Jul 1944	Sunk	Patrol 8,	87 days
8 patrols, 237 days at sea

Ships hit by Heinz Bielfeld

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Tons		Convoy
26 May 1942	U-703	Syros	6,191	am	PQ-16
5 Jul 1942	U-703	Empire Byron	6,645	br	PQ-17
5 Jul 1942	U-703	River Afton	5,479	br	PQ-17
20 Sep 1942	U-703	HMS Somali (G 33)	1,870	br	QP-14
			20,185
4 ships sunk (20,185 tons). Legend We have a picture of this vessel.