u-boat wings??

[Terrence]

Hi gang,

I just finished reading Otto Giese's "Shooting the war" and on page 202 he states that in Aug 1944, he had added to his previous awards, (i.e., iron cross 2nd class, blockade-runner, u-boat medal, sport medal in silver) the iron cross 1st class and "U-boat wings." Given the date, would he be refering to the u-boat clasp in bronze?? If not, what the heck are u-boat wings??

Best regards,
T

[Frank Heukemes]

...and what the heck is an "U-Boat medal"?

Is the book originally written in German? Maybe the meaning of U-Boat Wings was "lost in translation"?

[Terrence]

Frank,

That is what I thought at first too. I have my doubts as to it being a translation issue though. The book, a quick read, was originally published Naval Institute Press 1994. First Bluejacket Books printing 2003. Co-authored by Capt. James Wise USR (ret). I believe this book was written only in english as after the war Giese spent most of his time in the Carribean shipping industry, married an American woman 1967, and finally became a U.S. citizen in 1973. One of his sons graduated from the U.S. Airforce Academy and fought in Desert Storm.

First time I have seen the term phrased quite that way.

Best regards,
T

[Frank Heukemes]

Well, I think it can only be the clasp he is referring to

[Terrence]

I thought so. I wonder if it was slang for the combat badge. I also thought that because of his stationing with Japanese nave personel, perhaps it may have been a term they used for their sub badge. Although I suppose the german badge looks more like a set of wings then the Japanese badge.

Thanks for your thoughts Frank

Best regards,
T

[Gordon Williamson]

Otto got his U-Boat Clasp out in Malaya in 1945. I suspect the reference to "wings" is due to the strong similarity between the U-Boat Clasp and the Frontflugspange of the Luftwaffe. The U-Boat Medal he refers to is indeed the U-Boat War Badge. Otto doesn't have any of his awards any more, but the award docs survived the war.
The signature on the doc (supplied by the Japanese) is of Wilhelm Dommes.

[Terrence]

Damn impressive Gordon!!!

Best regards,
T

[Terrence]

What flotilla would his u-boat have belonged to (officially)? Did they have a supply of these frontspanges on hand in Malaya, on board the u-boat??

Best regards,
T

[Steve Richard]

Hi all,
"Shooting the War" is one of my favorite books of the U-Boote wars.I was lucky to get an autographed copy shortly before Otto Giese died in Florida in September of 2001.He was 87 years old when he died-not bad for all he saw in his lifetime.
Steve

[Gordon Williamson]

What flotilla would his u-boat have belonged to (officially)? Did they have a supply of these frontspanges on hand in Malaya, on board the u-boat??

Best regards,
T

The so-called "Monsun" boats in the far east came under 33 U.Flotille. As far as awards were concerned RK, EK and DK were made in Japan but I'd suspect that lesser awards such as the U-Boat Badge and U-Boat Clasp were from on hand stocks of the original German made awards. The only award photos I had from Otto were of the 1957 set he had so I can't be sure about the Clasp he had.

[Terrence]

Thank you Gordon,

I appreciate the time all of you senior guys take to answer questions.

Best regards,
T

[merdock]

Hi,

Gordon who made the medals in Japan and were they identical to German one's eg.metal etc.
Thanks Merdock

[Gordon Williamson]

Hi,

Gordon who made the medals in Japan and were they identical to German one's eg.metal etc.
Thanks Merdock

They were made by jewellers rather than medal making concerns. Some EK1s have Japanese characters stamped on them. A collector I know in Germany has a Knights Cross awarded to a U-Boat officer out in Malaya. It is Japanese made, one piece in solid silver.

The DK I have examined is visually a near perfect copy of a Juncker, multi piece rivetted construction, but the fifth centre river is attached to the swastika, and is all that holds the swastika, and because it is centrally positioned, it means the swastika can revolve through 360 degrees. I'm sure it was tight when new, but can now spin like a propeller. They must have had a genuine German made DK available to disassemble and make castings for the component parts. These DK may be silver too, but they aren't silver marked. The Auxiliary Cruiser badges made out in Japan are also solid silver.