Reinhard Suhren

Commander Reinhard Johann Heinz Paul Anton Suhren (16 April 1916 – 25 August 1984) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and younger brother of Korvettenkapitän (Ing.) and Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) recipient Gerd Suhren. Suhren began his U-boat career in March 1938. He spent a year as 1st watch officer on U-48 where he received the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. In April 1941 he took command of U-564. He is credited with the sinking of 18 merchant vessels of, 1 war ship of 900 tons and damaged 4 merchant vessels of for which he was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes mit Eichenlaub mit Schwertern).

Suhren left the boat and became an instructor in October 1942. He then served in the 27th U-boat flotilla along with Korvettenkapitän Erich Topp. During the last year of the war Fregattenkapitän Suhren was the Führer der U-Boote Norwegen (Leader of U-boats in Norwegian waters) and from September 1944 the Commander-in-Chief of U-boats of the North Sea.

Biography
Suhren was born on 16 April 1916 in Langenschwalbach in the Taunus and joined the Reichsmarine on 5 April 1935 after he had received his Abitur from the Landständischen Oberschule in Bautzen. He received his military basic training in the 2nd company (2. Kompanie) in the 2nd department (II. Abteilung) of the standing ship division (Schiffsstammdivision) of the Baltic Sea in Stralsund (5 April 1934–17 June 1935). He was then transferred to the school ship Gorch Fock (18 June 1935–26 September 1935) attaining the rank of Seekadett on 25 September 1935.

World War II
He spent a year as first Watch Officer on U-48, where he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for assisting in the sinking of of allied shipping. In April 1941 he took command of U-564, and in August 1941 he sank the British corvette HMS Zinnia. In May 1942 he sunk the Mexican oil tanker Potrero del Llano. The sinking of this ship, compounded with U-106's attack on another tank, the Faja de Oro, would bring Mexico to declare war on the Axis powers.

In October 1942 he left the boat and became an instructor. Later he served in the 27th U-boat Flotilla along with Korvettenkapitän Erich Topp. During the last year of the war the newly appointed Fregattenkapitän Suhren was Führer der U-Boote in Norwegian waters and from September 1944 for the North Sea.

His parents and sister committed suicide in 1945, after failing to escape from the Sudetenland.

Summary of Career
Reinhard Suhren is credited with the destruction of 18 merchant ships for a total of, 1 warship sunk for a total of and damaged 4 ships for a total of.

Awards

 * The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 (20 December 1939)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (25 September 1939)
 * 1st Class (25 February 1940)
 * U-boat War Badge (1939) (21 December 1939)
 * with Diamonds (1 January 1942)
 * War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (30 January 1944)
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
 * Knight's Cross on 3 November 1940 as Oberleutnant zur See and 1st watch officer on U-48
 * 56th Oak Leaves on 31 December 1941 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-564
 * 18th Swords on 1 September 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-564
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 17 February 1945