| Joachim Berger | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 June 1913 |
| Died | 4 March 1943 (aged 29) |
| Place of birth | Berlin, German Empire |
| Place of death | North Atlantic Ocean |
| Allegiance |
 Nazi Germany |
| Service/branch |
 Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine |
| Years of service | 1934–1943 |
| Rank | Kapitänleutnant |
| Commands held | U-87 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | U-boat War Badge 1939, Iron Cross 1st Class |
Joachim Berger (23 June 1913 – 4 March 1943)[1] was a German U-boat commander in World War II.
[]
Joachim Berger joined the Reichsmarine in 1934. He served as a training officer on the 2nd torpedo boat flotilla from October to November 1939. From November 1939 to April 1940 he held a staff position. From April 1940 to March 1941, Berger served on the staff of Naval Commander Molde. From March to April 1941 he was a relief instructor with the Naval Gunnery School. From April to May 1941, Berger served with the 24th U-boat Flotilla and went through his U-boat Commander training and U-boat familiarization (Baubelehrung) from May to August 1941. On 19 August 1941 Berger commissioned the new Type VIIB boat U-87. He commanded this boat for more than 18 months, during which he went out on five patrols, 260 days at sea, all over the North Atlantic - including a patrol to US waters from May to July 1942. He sank five ships with a total of over 38,000 GRT.
Death[]
Berger was killed along with his entire crew of 49 men when the boat was sunk[2] on 4 March 1943 west of Leixões, Portugal, in position 41°36′N 13°31′W / 41.6°N 13.517°WCoordinates: 41°36′N 13°31′W / 41.6°N 13.517°W, by depth charges from the Canadian corvette HMCS Shediac and the Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Croix.
Summary of Career[]
Ships attacked[]
| Date | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 December 1941 | Cardita |  United Kingdom |
8,237 | Sunk |
| 17 January 1942 | Nyholt |  Norway |
8,087 | Sunk |
| 16 June 1942 | Port Nicholson | United Kingdom |
8,402 | Sunk |
| 16 June 1942 | Cherokee |  United States |
5,896 | Sunk |
| 11 October 1942 | Agapenor | United Kingdom |
7,392 | Sunk |
Awards[]
- Iron Cross 2nd Class - 30 January 1942
- U-boat War Badge 1939 - 28 March 1942
- Iron Cross 1st Class - 9 July 1942
References[]
- Notes
- ↑ "Kapitänleutnant Joachim Berger". uboat.net. http://uboat.net/men/commanders/74.html. Retrieved 6 April 2014.
- ↑ http://uboat.net/boats/u.87/htm
The original article can be found at Joachim Berger and the edit history here.