CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>The U-boat Crew - The Men of the Kriegsmarine - uboat.net</title> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/main2017-10.css" type="text/css" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/media/layout/2014_06/print.css" type="text/css" media="print" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /> <meta name="description" content="The U-boat War in World War Two (Kriegsmarine, 1939-1945) and World War One (Kaiserliche Marine, 1914-1918) and the Allied efforts to counter the threat. Over 40.000 pages on the officers, the boats, technology and the Allied efforts to counter the U-boat threat." /> <meta name="keywords" content="U-boat, submarine, boats, technology, XXI, VIIC, XIC, II, XIV, XXIII, Uboote, Unterseeboote, aircraft, escorts, Kriegsmarine, German navy, U-boote, destroyers, corvettes, frigates, battleships, aircraft carriers, trawlers." /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" /> </head> <body>  <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-1LBQ8B7HLP"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-1LBQ8B7HLP'); </script> <div id="container">  <div id="banner">  <h1 class="ph">uboat.net</h1>    <div id="navcontainer"> <ul id="navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/boats.htm" title="The Boats">The U-boats</a></li> <li class="inpath"><a href="/men/" title="The Men">The Men</a></li> <li><a href="/allies/" title="Allied efforts to fight the U-boats">The Allies</a></li> <li><a href="/maps/" title="Maps">Maps</a></li> <li><a href="/forums/" title="Join our Forums">Forums</a></li> <li><a href="/articles/" title="Articles">Articles</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/" title="Galleries">Gallery</a></li> <li><a href="/books/" title="Over 2200 books">Books</a></li> <li><a href="/special/movies/" title="Naval Warfare Movies">Movies</a></li> <li><a href="/wwi/" title="World War One">WWI</a></li> </ul> </div>  <span id="breadcrumbs"> <a href="/">Front page</a> - <a href="/men/">The Men</a> - <a href="/men/crew/"><strong>The U-boat Crew</strong></a> </span> </div>  <div id="sidebar-a"> <div id="submenu"> <h4><a href="/men/">Officers and Men</a></h4> <ul id="submenulist"> <li><a href="/men/" title="Commander Crews">The Men</a> <li><a href="/men/commanders/" title="Commander Crews">All Commanders</a> <ul> <li><a href="/men/commanders/crews.html" title="Commander Crews">Commander Crews</a></li> <li><a href="/men/aces/" title="Most Successful">Most Successful</a></li> <li><a href="/men/commanders/youngest-oldest.html" title="Youngest and oldest commanders on patrol">Youngest / oldest</a></li> <li><a href="/men/post_war.html" title="Commander deaths since the war">Deaths since WWII</a></li> <li><a href="/men/commanders/updates.html">Recent updates</a></li> </ul></li> <li><a href="/men/decorations/" title="Decorations">Decorations</a></li> <li><a href="/men/ranks/" title="Kriegsmarine Ranks">Ranks</a></li> <li><a href="/men/training/" title="The Boats">Training</a></li> <li><a href="/men/uniforms/" title="Kriegsmarine U-boat Uniforms">Uniforms</a></li> <li><a href="/men/crew/" title="The U-boat Crew">The U-boat Crew</a></li> <li><a href="/men/listing.htm" title="The Boats">Personnel files</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Events on this day</h4> <p><a href="/today.html">What happened on<br>7 April?</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Commander file</h4><p class="caption"><a href="/men/commanders/430.html"><img src="/media/men/commanders/hass_hans-heinrich.jpg" class="width80" alt="" /><br>Hans-Heinrich Ha脽</a><br>(<a href="/boats/u2324.htm">U-2324</a>)</p><p>- <a href="/men/commanders/">More officers</a></p> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4>U-boat of the day</h4><a href="/boats/u251.htm">U-251</a> - 13 patrols<br>2 ships sunk (11,408 tons) </div> <div class="item_box"> <h4>U-boat Finder</h4> <form action="/boats/finder.php" method="post"> <input size="8" name="find_boat" class="search-field" />   <input type="submit" value="Search" class="input" /> </form> </div><p><br>Follow us on Twitter<br><a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet" class="noborder"><img src="/media/layout/images/twitter_newbird_18.gif" alt="Twitter" /></a> <a href="http://twitter.com/uboatnet">@uboatnet</a></p> <br> </div>  <div id="content">  <div id="sidebar-b"> <div class="item_box center"> <h4><a href="/gallery/">From the Gallery</a></h4> <div align="center" class="caption"> <a href="/gallery/U534D/photo/2"><img src="/media/gallery/u534/set_d/con-tower_s.jpg" class="width100" alt="" /></a> <br><a href="/gallery/U534D/">Birkenhead 2002</a> </div> </div>  <form method="get" action="//www.google.com/custom" target="_top"> <table> <tr><td height="32"> <img src="//www.google.com/logos/Logo_25wht.gif" alt="Google"> <br/> <input type="hidden" name="domains" value="uboat.net" /> <label for="sbi" style="display: none">Enter your search terms</label> <input type="text" name="q" size="8" maxlength="255" value="" id="sbi" /> </td></tr> <tr> <td> <table> <tr> <td> <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value="uboat.net" checked="checked" id="ss1" /> <label for="ss1" title="Search uboat.net" class="small">uboat.net</label></td> <td> <input type="radio" name="sitesearch" value="" id="ss0" /> <label for="ss0" title="Search the Web" class="small">Web</label></td> </tr> </table> <label for="sbb" style="display: none">Submit search form</label> <input type="submit" name="sa" value="Search" id="sbb" /> <input type="hidden" name="client" value="pub-1101670507446460" /> <input type="hidden" name="forid" value="1" /> <input type="hidden" name="ie" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="hidden" name="oe" value="ISO-8859-1" /> <input type="hidden" name="safe" value="active" /> <input type="hidden" name="cof" value="GALT:#008000;GL:1;DIV:#336699;VLC:663399;AH:center;BGC:FFFFFF;LBGC:336699;ALC:0000FF;LC:0000FF;T:000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1" /> <input type="hidden" name="hl" value="en" /> </td></tr></table> </form>  <div class="item_box center"> <h4>Selected Book</h4> <a href="/books/item/2083"><img src="/media/books/covers/english/under-red-duster.jpg" class="width100" alt="" /> <br><strong>Under the Red Duster</strong></a> <br>The Merchant Navy in World War II <br><strong>Lewis, William J.</strong><p><a href="/about/scripts/amazon_com.php?book=1840373830&path=/men/crew/index.html">$22.50 at amazon</a></p><div align="center"><a href="/books/">More books</a></div> </div> <div class="item_box center"> <h4><a href="/allies/warships/">Allied Warships</a></h4> <a href="/allies/warships/">Check out</a> our new extensive section on all the Allied Warships during WWII in all theatres of the war. <br><strong>Over 21,000 ships</strong> </div></div> <div align="center"> <img src="/media/layout/images/header_crew.gif" class="width400" alt="" /> <h1>The U-boat Crew</h1> </div> <p>These pages show the composition of a typical U-boat crew and the duties of all its members, together with the specialist instruction they received.</p> <table> <tr> <td colspan="3"><h3>Officers</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong><a href="commander.htm">Kommandant</a></strong></td> <td>(Commander, captain)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">The captain has the highest responsibility as he routinely made life or death decisions affecting the fate of the entire crew. It was not surprising therefore that the crew identified closely with their captain, and were especially proud if he had been awarded a medal.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Wachoffizier (1WO)</strong></td> <td>(Watch officer, exec officer, first watch)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">The second in command. He shadowed the CO closely so that he could take command if the CO fell ill or was killed in battle. His other responsibilities included the boat's weapons systems and conducting torpedo aiming during surface attacks.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Wachoffizier (2WO)</strong></td> <td>(Watch officer, second watch)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">He was responsible for the watchcrew on deck, the Flak gun and the deck gun. He also oversaw the radio room crew.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong><a href="chief_engineer.htm">Leitender Ingenieur (LI)</a></strong></td> <td>(Chief engineer)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">A highly experienced officer, he was responsible for the maintenance of the U-boat's mechanics, which included the engines, motors, batteries, and other mechanical systems. The LI also set the demolition charges in the event the boat had to be scuttled. This also meant that many LIs went down with the boat, some of them deliberately.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><h3>Chief Petty Officers</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Navigator</strong></td> <td> Navigator </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Navigation and provisioning of supplies.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Bootsmann</strong></td> <td>(Chief boatswain)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Crew discipline.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Diesel Obermaschinist</strong></td> <td>(Diesel officer)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Subordinate to the LI, he was responsible for the diesels.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Electro Obermaschinist</strong></td> <td>(Electric motor officer)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Subordinate to the LI, he was responsible for the Electric motors and batteries.</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3"><h3>Petty Officers (Unteroffiziere)</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Steuermann</strong></td> <td>(Helmsman)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Steering</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong><a href="torpedo.htm">Torpedo-Personal</a></strong></td> <td>(Torpedo personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="width50"></td> <td class="width150">Mecanikaermaat</td> <td>(Torpedoman's mate)</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>Mechaniker </td> <td>(Torpedo Mechanic)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Care and maintenance of torpedoes</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Maschinisten</strong></td> <td>(Machinist, motormen)</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>Obermaschinist </td> <td>(Warrant machinist)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Running of the engines</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong><a href="radio.htm">Funk-Personal</a></strong></td> <td>(Radio personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>Oberfunkmeister </td> <td>(Senior Radio Petty Officer)</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>Funkmaat</td> <td>(Radio Petty Officer)</td> </tr> <tr> <td></td> <td>Funkgast</td> <td>(Radio operator)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Communications and sound equipment</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><strong>Obersteuermann</strong></td> <td>(Chief Quartermaster)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">Crew supervision, discipline</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><h3>Seaman (Matrosen)</h3></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Seemännisches Personal</td> <td>(Nautical personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Technisches Personal</td> <td>(Technical personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Zentrale-Personal</td> <td>(Control room personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Artilleriemechaniker-Personal</td> <td>(Gunnery mechanical personnel)</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><a href="cook.htm">Koch, 'Smutje'</a></td> <td>(Cook)</td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br></td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><h3>Additional personnel</h3></td> <td></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Bordarzt, Sanitätsmaat</td> <td>(doctor) </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Flak Personal</td> <td>(anti aircraft personnel) </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">PK-Leute</td> <td>(war correspondent) </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">Meteorologe</td> <td>(meteorologist) </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2">B-Dienst</td> <td>(intelligence personnel) </td> </tr> </table> </table> <h3><strong>'Guests' on board</strong></h3> <p>Captives<br> Evacuated personnel<br> Fished pilots (friendly and not)<br> Rescued U-boat crews<br> Rescued ship crews<br> Agents<br> Specialists<br> Subhas Chandra Bose (an Indian political activist)</p>  <div class="adSeperator"></div> <div id="ga_contentFooter728" align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:728px;height:90px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-1101670507446460" data-ad-slot="7580936821"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div><br> </div>  <div id="footer"> <div id="footer_navcontainer"> <ul id="footer_navlist"> <li><a href="/" title="Front page">Front page</a></li> <li><a href="/about/" title="About uboat.net">About</a></li> <li><a href="/about/contact.htm" title="Contact us">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="/special/faq.htm" title="Frequently Asked Questions">FAQ</a></li> <li><a href="/glossary.htm" title="Glossary pages">Glossary</a></li> <li><a href="/new.htm" title="What's new at uboat.net">What's new</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="footer_copyright">  © 1995 - 2025 Guðmundur Helgason </div> </div>  </div>  </body></html>