Robert-Richard Zapp
| Robert-Richard Zapp | |
|---|---|
Richard Zapp
|
|
| Born |
3 April 1904 Germersheim |
| Died | 17 July 1964 (aged 60) Kiel |
| Allegiance |
|
| Service/branch | |
| Years of service | 1923–45 |
| Rank | Fregattenkapitän |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross |
Robert-Richard Zapp (3 April 1904 – 17 July 1964) was a German U-boat commander in World War II. As commander of the Type IXC U-boat U-66, he sank sixteen ships on five patrols, for a total of 106,200 tons of Allied shipping, to become the 27th highest scoring U-Boat ace of World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Robert-Richard Zapp joined the Reichsmarine in May 1923. Before joining the U-boat service in 1939, he served aboard a minesweeper and later on took command of 251 Marineflak (Naval anti-aircraft artillery). After initial training, he served on board U-46 for a short while under Oberleutnant zur See Engelbert Endrass, with whom he participated in the battle against Convoy HX 79 in October 1940.
Zapp was appointed commander of U-66 in January 1941. U-66 was one of the boats that participated in the first wave of attacks in "Operation Drumbeat". On the first patrol of this operation, he sank five vessels, totalling 33,456 tons. On his second patrol off the eastern seaboard of the USA he sank six vessels totaling 43,946 tons. They included the 7,988 GRT Canadian passenger liner RMS Lady Hawkins on 19 January, whose final death toll was 251. Zapp was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 23 April 1942.
...
Wikipedia