Wilhelm Meentzen

Gerd A. Wilhelm Meentzen (19 March 1915 – 8 May 2001) was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later a Vizeadmiral with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Meentzen joined the military service of the Bundesmarine and as Fregattenkapitän commanded the destroyer Zerstörer 3 (D172), formerly USS Wadsworth (DD-516), from October 1959 until January 1961.

Awards and decorations

 * Spanish Cross in Bronze with Swords (6 June 1939)
 * Iron Cross (1939)
 * 2nd Class (23 December 1939)
 * 1st Class (21 November 1940)
 * Destroyer War Badge (14 December 1940)
 * Fast Attack Craft War Badge (25 February 1942)
 * War Merit Cross with Swords
 * 2nd Class (20 April 1943)
 * Finish Order of the Cross of Liberty 4th Class (10 July 1941)
 * Wound Badge (1939)
 * in Black (15 November 1944)
 * German Cross in Gold on 5 May 1944 as Kapitänleutnant on Torpedoboot T-24/4. Torpedoboots-Flottille
 * Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 30 October 1944 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of Torpedoboot T-24
 * Ärmelband Afrika (20 April 1943)
 * Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (18 April 1941)
 * Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (25 May 1973)