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Kentrat, Eitel-Friedrich

Date of birth:
September 11th, 1906 (Stahlheim/Alsace-Lorraine, Germany)
Date of death:
January 9th, 1974 (Bad Schwartau/Schleswig-Holstein, Germany)
Nationality:
German

Biography

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Oberleutnant zur See
Unit:
Signaloffizier Panzerschiff "Deutschland"
Awarded on:
October 2nd, 1936
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht 4.Klasse, 4 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Adjutant Linienschiff "Schlesien"
Awarded on:
October 1st, 1937
Dienstauszeichnung der Wehrmacht  3.Klasse, 12 Jahre
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant U-74 / 7. U-Boots-Flottille
Awarded on:
April 13th, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant U-74 / 7. U-Boots-Flottille
Awarded on:
April 13th, 1941
Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant U-74 / 7. U-Boots-Flottille
Awarded on:
April 13th, 1939
U-boot Kriegsabzeichen (ohne Brillianten)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Kapitänleutnant (Lieutenant)
Unit:
Kommandant U-74 / 29. U-Boots-Flottille
Awarded on:
December 31st, 1941
Awarded for sinking 5 ships (with 25619 GRT), including the Canadian corvette HMCS Levis, as well as damaging 2 more ships (with 11525 GRT). He also distinguished himself for leading the longest submarine patrol in the entire war, specifically his first patrol with U-196 (and Kentrat's ninth in total). It lasted a total of 225 days.
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Korvettenkapiän (Lieutenant Commander)
Unit:
Kommandant U-196 / 12. U-Boots-Flottille
Awarded on:
September 20th, 1944
U-Boots-Frontspange in Bronze

Sources

  • Photo 1: Wilco Vermeer
  • Photo: Wilco Vermeer collection, the Netherlands
  • - DIXON, JEREMY, The U-boat Commanders, Naval Institute Press, 2019.
    - Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer, Elite of the Third Reich - The Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939-45: A Reference, Helion & Company Limited, England, 2003
    - Busch, R., Röll, H-J., Der U-Boot-Krieg – Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945, Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn GmbH, Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn, Deutschland, 2003

Photo