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Lüth, Wolfgang August Eugen (U-181)

Date of birth:
October 15th, 1913 (Riga/Latvia, Russia)
Date of death:
May 12th, 1945 (Flensburg-Mürwik/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)
Nationality:
German (1933-1945, Third Reich)

Biography

Crew 33
Promotions:
01.04.1933: Offiziersanwärter
23.09.1933: Seekadett
01.07.1934: Fähnrich zur See
01.04.1936: Oberfähnrich zur See
01.10.1936: Leutnant zur See
01.06.1938: Oberleutnant zur See
01.01.1941: Kapitänleutnant
01.04.1943: Korvettenkapitän
01.08.1944: Fregattenkapitän
01.09.1944: Kapitän zur See

Career:
16.12.1939-28.12.1939: Kdt, U-13 - No war patrols
30.12.1939-10.06.1940: Kdt, U-9 - 6 patrols (72 days)
27.06.1940-20.10.1940: Kdt, U-138 - 2 patrols (29 days)
21.10.1940-11.04.1942: Kdt, U-43 - 5 patrols (204 days)
09.05.1942-31.10.1943: Kdt, U-181 - 2 patrols (335 days)

Successes:
46 ships sunk, total tonnage 225,204 GRT
1 warship sunk, total tonnage 552 tons
2 ships damaged, total tonnage 17,343 GRT

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Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Unterseeboot Schule
Awarded on:
March 31st, 1937
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Period:
Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
I.Wachoffizier, U-38
Awarded on:
June 6th, 1939
Spanienkreuz, Bronze
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
U.-Flotille "Salzwedel"
Awarded on:
September 16th, 1939

Data according to the award document, in the Soldbuch the mentioned date is April 5th 1939.
Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Unterseeboot Schule
Awarded on:
January 25th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Awarded on:
February 18th, 1940

Data according to the award document, in the Soldbuch the mentioned date is February 20th 1940.
U-boot Kriegsabzeichen (ohne Brillianten)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Unterseeboot Schule
Awarded on:
May 15th, 1940
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Kdt, U-138
Awarded on:
September 23rd, 1940
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Kommandant, U-138
Awarded on:
October 24th, 1940
Awarded for his successful patrols while commanding U-9 and U-138. With U-9 he sunk 7 ships with 16669 GRT, as well as the French submarine “Doris” on the 09.05.1940. With U-138 he sunk 5 ships with 39971 GRT and damaged a tanker with 6993 GRT.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant, U-43
Awarded on:
November 1st, 1941
Croce Al Valore di Guerra
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kdt, U-43
Awarded on:
January 14th, 1942
Wehrmachtbericht
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant, U-181
Awarded on:
November 13th, 1942
Awarded for his successes while commanding U-43. Over the course of 5 patrols he sank 12 ships with 68077 GRT and damaged another ship with 10350 GRT.


142nd Award.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
January 26th, 1943
U-boot Kriegsabzeichen mit Brillianten
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant, U-181
Awarded on:
April 15th, 1943
Awarded for his two patrols with U-181, the second of which was the 2nd longest U-Boat patrol of the war (lasting 205 days at sea). During these two patrols he sank 22 ships with 103712 GRT.

29th Award.
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
Awarded on:
April 15th, 1943
Ehrendolch der Kriegsmarine
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Unit:
Kommandant, U-181
Awarded on:
August 9th, 1943
Awarded on the same grounds as the Swords.

7th Award.
Ritterkreuz, Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapitän (Lieutenant Commander)
Awarded on:
October 24th, 1943
Ehrenzeichen für Verdienste im Volkstumskampf
Gau Wartheland-Traditionsabzeichen
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitän zur See (Captain Royal Navy)
Awarded on:
October 12th, 1944
U-Boots-Frontspange in Bronze

Sources

  • Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer/Willi Schumacher
  • Photo 2:
  • Photo: Wilco Vermeer, Netherlands
    - Colour photo: Willi Schumacher collection
  • - THOMAS, FRANZ & WEGMANN, GÜNTER, Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Biblio-Verlag, 1998.
    - Kwasny A., Kwasny G., Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945 (CD), Deutsches Wehrkundearchiv, Lage-Waddenhausen, 2001
    - Internationale Militaria Magazine, Nr 111, February/March 2003, Verlag Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken, 2004
    - Berger, F., Mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern – Die höchstdekorierten Soldaten des Zweiten Weltkrieges, Selbstverlag Florian Berger, Wien, Österreich, 2002/03
    - Dwulecki A., "Wolfgang Lüth: Unbekannte Verleihungen", seite 18, Internationales Militaria Magazine Nr 129, September/Oktober 2007, VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrücken
    - Fellgiebel W.P., Elite of the Third Reich, The recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-1945: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003, ISBN 1-874622-46-9
    - Helden der Wehrmacht, Sammelband (Miscellany), FZ-Verlag GmbH, München, Deutschland, 2000
    - Lexikon der Wehrmacht

Photos