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Jäckel, Karl (U-907)

    Date of birth:
    December 20th, 1913 (Gladbeck/Westernphalia, Germany)
    Date of death:
    December 7th, 1984 (Neubrandenburg/Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany)
    Nationality:
    German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

    Biography

    Karl Jäckel entered the Kriegsmarine on 1st April 1937. He was placed with the U 29 on 13th April 1940. On 11th September 1941 he joined the Baubelehrung (shipsyard crew) for the U 160 in Bremen, with which he was made operational on 16th October 1941. Jäckel was placed under Kriegsmarine reserves from 7h September 1943 with the 10.Unterseebootsflottille and followed the Navigationsschule. On 18th May 1944 he was appointed Obersteuermann with the U 907. He became a British POW in June 1945 from what he was released on 10th December 1946.

    Career:
    1st April 1937: In service with the Kriegsmarine;
    13th April 1940 - October 1941: Steuermann U 29, 4 patrols in 129 days;
    11th September 1941: Baubelehrung U 160, Bremen;
    16th October 1941 - 7th September 1943: Steuremann U 160, 4 patrols in 321 days;
    7th September 1943 - 18th May 1944: Personalreserve Kriegsmarine 10.Unterseebootsflottille, Navigationsschule;
    18th May 1944 - June 1945: Steuermann U 907, 2 patrols in 86 days;
    June 1945 - 10th December 1946: POW.

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    Awarded on:
    June 5th, 1935
    Rettungsmedaille am Bande
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    September 17th, 1939
    Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
    Awarded on:
    October 9th, 1939
    Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    December 16th, 1939
    U-boot Kriegsabzeichen (ohne Brillianten)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    December 18th, 1940
    Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Obersteurmann (Petty Officer 1st Class)
    Unit:
    Wachoffizier, U 29, U 160, U 907, Kriegsmarine
    Awarded on:
    October 28th, 1944
    Deutsches Kreuz in Gold
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded on:
    1944
    U-Boots-Frontspange in Bronze
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Obersteurmann (Petty Officer 1st Class)
    Unit:
    Steuermann, Uboot, "U-907"
    Awarded on:
    May 8th, 1945

    Walther-Peer Fellgiebel, author of Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945, indicates that Jäckel received the Knight's Cross on 1 June 1945, after the Dönitz-erlass prohibited the awarding of the Knight's Cross. Other sources indicate that the Knight's Cross was awarded on 8 May 1945. According to Fellgiebel Jäckel's paybook confirms his award on 1 June 1945, thus making him a non legitimate awardee.
    Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes

    Sources

    • Photo 1: Known to STIWOT
    • - Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
      - Dörr M., Einer von Dreiunddreissig, Internationales Militaira Magazine Nr 124, september-oktober 2006, Heinz Nickel Buchbetrieb, Zweibrücken
      - Dörr M., Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Bootwaffe, Band 1. A - J, Biblio-Verlag, Osnabrück, 1988, ISBN 3-7648-1153-6
      - Ehrentafel der Deutschen Kriegsmarine dd 18-11-1944
      - U-boat.net
      - Lexikon der Wehrmacht

    Photo