Franken, Wilhelm August
- Date of birth:
- September 11th, 1914 (Schildesche-Bielefeld/Westphalia, Germany)
- Date of death:
- January 13th, 1945 (Kiel/Schleswick-Holstein, Germany)
- Nationality:
- German (1933-1945, Third Reich)
Biography
Wilhelm Franken died in an accident on 13th January 1945 on board of the accommodation vessel Daresalam. At that moment he was Referent in the Stab Kommandierender Admiral der U-Boote with the rank of Korvettenkapitän.
Promotions:
April 5th, 1935: Offiziersanwärter;
July 1st, 1936: Fähnrich zur See;
January 1st, 1938: Oberfähnrich zur See;
April 1st, 1938: Leutnant zur See;
October 1st, 1939: Oberleutnant zur See;
April 1st, 1942: Kapitänleutnant;
January 1st, 1945: Korvettenkapitän.
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Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
- Awarded on:
- April 4th, 1939
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- April 14th, 1940
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- May 31st, 1940
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- October 15th, 1941
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- January 28th, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- January 28th, 1942
Croce Al Valore di Guerra
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Awarded on:
- March 30th, 1942
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
- Unit:
- Kommandant, U 565, 29. Unterseebootsflottille, Kriegsmarine
- Awarded on:
- April 30th, 1943
“Kapitänleutnant and U-Boat captain Franken has so far sunk a troop transport, a tanker, 4 freighters and 2 sail boats (altogether totalling 45000 GRT) as well as a British destroyer. He furthermore torpedoed 2 freighters (totalling 20000 GRT) that most likely sank as well.”
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Käpitanleutnant (Lieutenant)
- Awarded on:
- May 29th, 1943
Sources
- Photo 1: Known to STIWOT
- - DIXON, JEREMY, The U-boat Commanders, Naval Institute Press, 2019.
- FELLGIEBEL, W.P., Elite of theThird Reich, Helion & Company Limited, Solihull, 2003.
- Die Ordensträger der Deutschen Wehrmacht (CD), VMD-Verlag GmbH, Osnabrück, 2002
- Die Grenz-Zeitung (Edition 122).
Photo
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