Ernst Hechler, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Ernst Hechler

German World War II U-boat commander

Date of Birth: 21-Nov-1907

Place of Birth: Lauterbach, Hesse, Germany

Date of Death: 23-Oct-1965

Profession: submariner, soldier

Nationality: Germany

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Ernst Hechler (21 November 1907 – 23 October 1965) was a German bomber pilot and U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Korvettenkapitän (corvette captain) Hechler is credited with the sinking of four ships for a total of 13,804 gross register tons (GRT), and with damaging one destroyer escort. Born in Lauterbach, Hechler joined the Reichsmarine (navy of the Weimar Republic) in 1928.
After a period of training on surface vessels he transferred to the Luftwaffe (air force) in 1935.
During World War II he flew 65 combat missions as a bomber pilot, the majority of which were in mine-laying operations.
Following his voluntary transfer back to the Kriegsmarine in 1943 he took command of German submarine U-870 in 1944 which he took on one war patrol.
He claimed to have sunk five ships for a total of 15,069 GRT.
These claims were acknowledged by the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.