Date of birth:

May 16th, 1917

Date of death:

October 16th, 1943 (Gulf of Oman)

Buried on:

German Submarines Memorial

Nationality:

German

KpLt.ing.
U-533

U-533 was sunk on October 16, 1943 in the Gulf of Oman by depth charges of the Bisley O of the British RAF Squadron 244, flown by L. Chapman. The U-boat was heading for the Gulf of Oman to sink tankers. It was surprised by the plane's attack. Although Helmut Hennig immediately dived, the four 250 pound depth charges dropped reached their destination. The first water bomb detonated on the diving boat at a depth of approximately 22 meters, the second at a depth of approximately 54 meters, which finally caused the submarine to burst. An officer and Matrosengefreiter Günther Schmidt were in the turret, which was instantly full of water. They managed to open the turret hatch in a very short time and both reached surface quickly without diving rescue apparatus. The officer lost consciousness on the surface of the water and was kept afloat by his comrade until he ran out of strength. Sailor Schmidt, said he swam to the coast in about 28 hours, where he was rescued by Arab fishermen. The fishermen then handed him over to the British. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?14235

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• Photo: http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/u-boote/uboote_wk2/wk2_u533.htm
  
• - PATZWALL, K. & SCHERZER, V., Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941-1945, Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall, Norderstedt, 2001.
  - historisches-marinearchiv.de
  - U 533
  

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