Günter Kuhnke

Günter Kuhnke
File:Kapitänleutnant Günter Kuhnke.jpg
Born	(1912-09-07)7 September 1912 Elbing, West Prussia
Died	Schortens
Allegiance	Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany (to 1945) West Germany
Service/branch	Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine German Navy
Years of service	1931–45 1955–72
Rank	Korvettenkapitän (Kriegsmarine) Konteradmiral (Bundesmarine)
Unit	SSS Niobe cruiser Karlsruhe
Commands held	U-28 U-125 U-853 10th U-boat Flotilla 33rd U-boat Flotilla destroyer Z-2 (D171)
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Stern zum Großen Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Günter Kuhnke (7 September 1912 – 11 October 1990) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later a Konteradmiral with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

He commanded the U-28, U-125 and U-853, sinking eleven ships on nine patrols, for a total of 42,252 gross register tons (GRT) of Allied shipping plus the special service vessel HMS Prunella. He commanded 10th U-boat Flotilla from January 1942 until October 1944, then 33rd U-boat Flotilla until May 1945.

Fregattenkapitän Günter Kuhnke commanded the destroyer Z-2 (D171) (formerly USS Ringgold (DD-500)) from 14 July 1959 until November 1960.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

Date	Name of Ship	Nationality	Tonnage	Fate
14 September 1939	Vancouver City	United Kingdom	4,955	Sunk
17 November 1939	Sliedrecht	Netherlands	5,133	Sunk
25 November 1939	Royston Grange	United Kingdom	5,144	Sunk
21 January 1940	Protesilaus	United Kingdom	9,577	Total loss (mine)
9 March 1940	P. Margoronis	Greece	4,979	Sunk
11 March 1940	Eulota	Netherlands	6,236	Sunk
18 June 1940	Samartia	Finland	2,417	Sunk
19 June 1940	Adamandios Georgandis	Greece	3,443	Sunk
21 June 1940	HMS Prunella	Royal Navy	4,443	Sunk
27 August 1940	Eva	Norway	1,599	Sunk
28 August 1940	Kyno	United Kingdom	3,946	Sunk
9 September 1940	Mardinian	United Kingdom	2,431	Sunk
9 September 1940	Harpenden	United Kingdom	4,678	Damaged
9 September 1940	Maas	Netherlands	1,966	Sunk
26 October 1940	Matina	United Kingdom	5,389	Damaged

Promotions

Reichsmarine (1931–35)

• Offiziersanwärter (officer candidate) - 1 April 1931
• Seekadett (officer cadet) - 1 April 1932
• Fähnrich zur See (midshipman) - 1 April 1933
• Oberfähnrich zur See (senior midshipman) - 1 January 1935
• Leutnant zur See (acting sub-lieutenant) - 1 April 1935

Kriegsmarine (1935–45)

• Oberleutnant zur See (sub-lieutenant) - 1 January 1937
• Kapitänleutnant (lieutenant) - 1 October 1939
• Korvettenkapitän (corvette captain/lieutenant-commander) - 1 March 1943

Bundesmarine (1955–72)

• Joined 16 November 1955
• Fregattenkapitän (frigate captain/commander) - 16 June 1956
• Kapitän zur See (captain) - 16 October 1962
• Flottillenadmiral (flotilla admiral/commodore) - 28 January 1965
• Konteradmiral (rear-admiral) - 1 April 1966
• Retired 30 September 1972

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award, 4th class (2 October 1936)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 September 1939)
  • 1st Class (1 October 1939)
• War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (30 January 1944)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 September 1940 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-28
• Grand Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (26 June 1969)
• Grand Merit Cross with Star of the Federal Republic of Germany (30 September 1972)

External links

Military offices
Preceded by Korvettenkapitän Georg Schewe	Commander of the 33rd U-boat Flotilla September – October 1944	Succeeded by —
Preceded by —	Commander of German destroyer Z-2 (formerly USS Ringgold) July 1959 – November 1960	Succeeded by Fregattenkapitän Otto Ites
Preceded by Kapitän zur See Hans Dominik	Commander of Kommando der Zerstörer (Destroyer Commando) 16 October 1960 – 1 October 1964	Succeeded by Kapitän zur See Theodor von Mutius
Preceded by Konteradmiral Albrecht Obermaier	Chief of the Navy Office 1 April 1966 – 30 September 1972	Succeeded by Konteradmiral Günter Luther