Heinrich Hoffmann (naval officer)

For other people known by the same name, see Heinrich Hoffman (disambiguation).
Heinrich Hoffmann
Born (1910-08-17)17 August 1910
Bottrop
Died 29 January 1998(1998-01-29) (aged 87)
Schiffdorf
Allegiance  Weimar Republic (to 1933)
 Nazi Germany (to 1945)
 West Germany
Service/branch  Reichsmarine
 Kriegsmarine
 German Navy
Years of service 1930–45
1956–68
Rank Korvettenkapitän (Wehrmacht)
Kapitän zur See (Bundesmarine)
Unit SSS Niobe
cruiser Lepzig
cruiser Admiral Graf Spee
Commands held 5. Torpedobootflottille
1. Zerstörergeschwader
Battles/wars

World War II

Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
Cross of Merit 1st Class

Heinrich Hoffmann (17 August 1910 – 29 January 1998) was a Korvettenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

With only three serviceable torpedo boats, T-28, Jaguar and Möwe, at his disposal, Hoffmann attacked the Allied Invasion fleet, including the HMS Warspite and HMS Ramillies, near the Bay of the Seine on the morning of D-Day on 6 June 1944. During the attack, 18 torpedoes were launched, resulting in the sinking of the Norwegian destroyer HNoMS Svenner.

After World War II he rejoined the military of the Bundeswehr. In 1961 he became commander of the 1. Zerstörergeschwader (1st Destroyer Squadron), which included three former U.S. destroyers of the Fletcher-class, Z-1, Z-2 and Z-3.

Awards

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 Dörr 1995, p. 259.
  2. 1 2 Thomas 1997, p. 294.
  3. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 191.
  4. 1 2 Scherzer 2007, p. 398.
  5. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 231.
  6. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 85.

Bibliography

  • Dörr, Manfred (1995). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Überwasserstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine, Band 1: A-K (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio Verlag. ISBN 3-7648-2453-0.
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941 – 1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941 – 1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8. 
  • Range, Clemens (1974). Die Ritterkreuzträger der Kriegsmarine [The Knight's Cross Bearers of the Navy]. Stuttgart, Germany: Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 978-3-87943-355-1. 
  • Schaulen, Fritjof (2003). Eichenlaubträger 1940 – 1945 Zeitgeschichte in Farbe I Abraham – Huppertz [Oak Leaves Bearers 1940 – 1945 Contemporary History in Color I Abraham – Huppertz] (in German). Selent, Germany: Pour le Mérite. ISBN 978-3-932381-20-1. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6. 

External links

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