The U-boat commanders : Knight's Cross holders 1939-1945 /Jeremy Dixon.

"The Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz) was one of the highest decorations given for extreme acts of valor to all ranks of the German armed forces during World War II. Few awards captured quite the respect and admiration of the German public as the Knight's Cross - it was the greatest honor one could achieve. In the perilous and close-knit world of the U-boat crews the award of the decoration to their captain was an event of particular pride and sometimes it was even added to the boat?s insignia. In all, there were 123 recipients, including their commander-in-chief Karl Dèonitz, and Jeremy Dixon's highly illustrated book is the ideal guide to all these men and their wartime service. A graphic text accompanied by almost 200 archive photographs describes the exploits of each of them, including those who received the higher grades of the award. For their exceptional service, twenty-three recieved the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords and two, Albrecht Brandi and Wolfgang Luth, were awarded the much-prized Kinght's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds. Full details are given of their tours of duty, the operations they took part in, how they won their award, how many ships they sank and their subsequent careers. The promotions and other awards and decorations the recipients recieved during the Second World War are also recorded. Jeremy Dixon's valuable work offers us a fascinating insight into the skill, determination and courage of the commanders concerned and the crews who served with them."--Provided by the publisher.