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Wille, Johannes ("U-129")

Date of birth:
November 8th, 1920
Date of death:
March 2nd, 1945 (north of Warnemünde, Rostock, Mecklenburg, Germany)
Buried on:
German Submarines Memorial
Nationality:
German

Biography

Obermaschinistenmaat Johannes Wille served mainly aboard Uboot 'U-129' and 'U-3519'.
On 02.03.1945 at 12:45 pm, north of Warnemünde, U 3519 ran into a mine in the British air mine field "Sweet Pea I" and sank.
For reasons unknown up to now, the boat got out of the mine-free fairway and sank to a depth of only 14 meters (54°11`N, 12°5`O) after being hit by several mines.
The mine explosion tore up the forecastle, the stern was broken twice.
Some sources mentioned the German TFA 11 saved only three men out of the 65 men crew.
The remains of the crew members with Kplt. Richard von Harpe were buried in the New Cemetery in Rostock with a military ceremony.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Obermaschinistenmaat
Unit:
Dieselmaat, U-Boot, "U 129", 2. Unterseebootsflottille
Awarded on:
July 26th, 1944
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold

Sources

Photo