Victor Oehrn Explained

Victor Oehrn
Birth Date:21 October 1907
Birth Place:Gədəbəy, Azerbaijan
Death Place:Bonn
Placeofburial:Cemetery Rüngsdorf. Section II–Grave 226
Allegiance: (to 1933)
Branch:
Serviceyears:1927–45
Rank:Fregattenkapitän
Commands:
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Victor Otto Oehrn (21 October 1907-Gədəbəy, Azerbaijan – 26 December 1997-Bonn, Germany) was a Fregattenkapitän with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He commanded the U-boats and, sinking twenty-four ships on four patrols, for a total of 104,846 tons of Allied shipping.

Career

Oehrn joined the Reichsmarine in 1927, serving aboard the light cruisers and, before being one of the first officers to transfer to the newly formed U-boat arm in July 1935. He was appointed to command of in January 1936, and patrolled in Spanish waters during the Civil War in July–September 1936. In August 1939 he joined the staff of BdU as an Admiralstabsoffizier.[1]

In May 1940 Oehrn took command of, in order to restore trust in the G7e/T2 torpedo, which had performed abysmally, often detonating prematurely or not at all. In four patrols he sank 23 merchant ships for a total of, damaged another of, and sank the British sloop, before returning to the staff in August.[1]

From November 1941 Oehrn served on the Mediterranean U-boat staff, but during a mission to North Africa in July 1942, he was severely wounded and captured. After recovering at a British Military Hospital in Alexandria, Oehrn was sent to POW Camp 306 on the Suez Canal. He returned to Germany in October 1943 after being released in a prisoner exchange. Oehrn spent the remainder of the war serving on the staff in a number of posts.[1]

Awards

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fregattenkapitän Victor Oehrn . Helgason . Guðmundur . German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net . 19 April 2010.
  2. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 78.
  3. Busch & Röll 2003, p. 79.
  4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 328.