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~SOLD~PRIEN Günther Prien
Günther Prien Korvettenkapitän (Crew 33) Sank 31 ships for a total of 191.918 tons 8 ships damaged for a total of 62.751 tons Born 16 Jan, 1908 Osterfeld, Thüringen Died 7 Mar, 1941 North Atlantic Kapitänleutnant Günther Prien Ranks 1 Mar, 1933 Fähnrich zur See 1 Jan, 1935 Oberfähnrich zur See 1 Apr, 1935 Leutnant zur See 1 Jan, 1937 Oberleutnant zur See 1 Feb, 1939 Kapitänleutnant 1 Mar, 1941 Korvettenkapitän Decorations 25 Sep, 1939 Iron Cross 2nd Class 17 Oct, 1939 Iron Cross 1st Class 18 Oct, 1939 Knights Cross 20 Oct, 1940 Knights Cross with Oak Leaves U-boat Commands U-47 17 Dec, 1938 - 7 Mar, 1941 (+) 10 patrols (238 days) Günther Prien joined the Reichsmarine in January 1931 after sailing some years on trade ships. After a year on the light cruiser Königsberg, he transferred in October 1935 to the U-boat force. In 1938 he was on U-26 under Kptlt. Hartmann patrolling in Spanish waters during the Civil War. With his own boat U-47 he became famous for his 14 October, 1939 sinking of the British battleship HMS Royal Oak in the heavily defended British North Fleet main harbor at Scapa Flow. Churchill himself wrote about this outstanding feat of arms of a German U-boat commander. Prien was the first U-boat commander to win the Knights Cross. During the next 18 months Prien proved that he was one of the best German commanders. On his sixth patrol in June 1940 he sank eight ships for a total of 51,483 tons. In convoy battles Prien often was the first who found the convoys and vectored in other boats. For example, he took part in the convoy battle against HX-79, which he discovered and shadowed. U-47 brought in the other boats and sank four ships. Admiral Dönitz suggested to Prien at that time that Prien should transfer to a training unit, but Prien decided to remain on his boat. U-47 left St. Nazaire (France) for her tenth patrol on 20 February, 1941. Just four days later they attacked convoy OB-290 and sank four ships for a total of 16,310 tons. The last radio message from U-47 was received in the morning of 7 March. Günther Prien was killed when U-47 was lost with all hands (45 men) on 7 or 8 March, 1941. Günther Prien went aboard for his last patrol on 20 February, 1941 This incident is now being questioned, as the traditional credit for U-47's sinking has always been attributed to the British destroyer HMS Wolverine, but new data suggests that the destroyer was actually attacking Eckermann's UA which had to withdraw from the battle with heavy damage. It is now speculated that U-47 was hit by one of her own circling torpedoes. (Two US submarines in the Pacific are also believed to have been lost to the same sort of equipment failure.) Superb autographed Willrich card, extremely rare. 100% guaranteed original, as with all our autographs. One of the hardest and most sought after Knights Cross Recipients autograph.
Framed autograph and period postcard. This autograph was part of a war-time Hitler Youth collection. Signature on a slip of paper measuring 3"x5 1/2" with notation of his death. War time card of Prien measuring 4'x5 1/2" . Both items mounted in a frame measuring 12"x18"
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