Karl-Heinz Moehle
| Karl-Heinz Moehle | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
31 July 1910 Norden, East Frisia |
| Died | 17 November 1996 (aged 86) Ahrensburg |
| Allegiance |
 Weimar Republic (to 1933) Nazi Germany
|
| Service/branch |
 Reichsmarine Kriegsmarine
|
| Years of service | April 1930 – |
| Rank | Korvettenkapitän |
| Unit |
3rd U-boat Flotilla 1st U-boat Flotilla 2nd U-boat Flotilla 5th U-boat Flotilla |
| Commands held |
U-20, 1 October 1937 – 17 January 1940 U-123, 30 May 1940 – 19 May 1941 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
U-boat War Badge 1939 Knight's Cross German Cross in Silver |
Karl-Heinz Moehle (31 July 1910 – 17 November 1996) was a German U-boat commander of the Second World War. From September 1939 until retiring from front line service in June 1941, he sank 21 ships for a total of 93,197 gross register tons (GRT). For this he received the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), among other commendations. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Moehle was born on 31 July 1910 in Norden, East Frisia. He entered the navy in April 1930 at the age of 19 and spent his initial training aboard the school ship Schleswig-Holstein. He transferred to the U-boat force in March 1936 and by 1 June was promoted to Oberleutnant zur See. He took command of his first boat, U-20 on 1 October 1937 and commissioned her for sea. On 1 April 1939 he was promoted to Kapitänleutnant and on the outbreak of the Second World War, took U-20 on his first war cruise.
He eventually made six patrols in U-20, operating in the North Sea. He was moderately successful, sinking eight allied ships. He left U-20 on 17 January 1940 and took command of U-123, which was to become one of the most famous U-boats of the war. He took command on 30 May 1940 and took her on her first patrol on 21 September, where he went on to achieve a high rate of kills. His first patrol sank six merchants, including four on 19 October from the ill-fated convoy SC-7. His second patrol was also highly successful, when on the morning of 23 November he attacked convoy OB-244 in the North Atlantic. He sank five ships over a period of five hours, for a combined total of 23,084 GRT. During these operations, U-123 collided with a sunken ship, sustaining damage that forced her to return to base after just 15 days at sea.
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