Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel

Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel
Born	(1917-06-16)16 June 1917 Berlin-Wilmersdorf
Died	Atlantic Ocean, south-west of Tenerife
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1936–44
Rank	Kapitänleutnant
Commands held	U-140 U-96 U-543
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic
Awards	Iron Cross 1st Class Iron Cross 2nd Class U-boat War Badge Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel (16 June 1917 – 2 July 1944) was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He sailed with U-140, U-96 and U-543, sinking three ships on seven patrols, for a total of 10.969 tons of Allied shipping. 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.

Hellriegel and the entire crew of U-543 were killed by depth charges and a homing torpedo from Grumman TBF Avenger aircraft (VC-58) of the US escort carrier USS Wake Island on 2 July 1944.

Summary of career

Ships attacked

As a U-boat commander of U-140, U-96 and U-543 Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel is credited with the sinking of 3 merchant ships for a total of 10,969 gross register tons (GRT), a warship of 206 GRT and damaging two ships of 17,179 GRT.

Date	U-boat	Name of ship	Flag	Tonnage	Fate
21 July 1941	U-140	submarine M-94	Soviet Navy	206	Sunk at
10 September 1942	U-96	Elisabeth van Belgie	Belgium	4,241	Sunk at
10 September 1942	U-96	F.J. Wolfe	United Kingdom	12,190	Damaged at
10 September 1942	U-96	Sveve	Norway	6,313	Sunk at
11 September 1942	U-96	Delães	Portugal	415	Sunk at
25 September 1942	U-96	New York	United Kingdom	4,989	Damaged at

Awards

• U-boat War Badge (1939) (24 April 1940)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (26 April 1940)
  • 1st Class (3 July 1940)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 3 February 1944 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-543