Waldemar Kophamel

Commander Waldemar Kophamel (August 16, 1880 – November 4, 1934) was a successful and highly decorated German U-boat commander in the Kaiserliche Marine during World War I.

In his time as commander of SMU U-35 (Germany) and SMU U-140 he succeeded in sinking 54 ships for a total tonnage of. One of his notable actions was sinking the Diamond Shoal Lightship No. 71 (LV-71). Before doing so he allowed the crew, as well as survivors they had rescued from another of his victims, the SS Merak, to  evacuate the ship.

Awards and decorations

 * Order of the Red Eagle, 4th class (Prussia)
 * Lifesaving Medal (Prussia)
 * Iron Cross (1914), 1st and 2nd class
 * Knight's Cross of the Royal House Order of Hohenzollern with Swords
 * Pour le Mérite
 * Hanseatic Cross of Hamburg
 * Military Merit Cross, 1st class (Mecklenburg-Schwerin)