Otto Ites

Otto Ites

Otto Ites
Born (1918-02-05)5 February 1918
Norden
Died 2 February 1982(1982-02-02) (aged 63)
Norden
Allegiance
Service/branch
Years of service 1936–45
1956–77
Rank
Unit
Commands held
Battles/wars
Awards Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Order of Merit
Other work Dentist

Otto Christian Ites (5 February 1918 – 2 February 1982) was a Kapitänleutnant with the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later a Konteradmiral with the Bundesmarine. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes). The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Career

Otto Ites, born on 5 February 1918 in Norden in the Province of Hanover a Free State of Prussia, joined the military service of the Kriegsmarine on 3 April 1936.

Ites served as second watch officer on nine war patrols on U-48, the first five patrols under the command of Herbert Schultze, two patrols under Hans-Rudolf Rösing and two patrols under Heinrich Bleichrodt. Promoted to Oberleutnant zur See on 1 October 1940 and he was made first watch officer on U-48. In this position he went on one more patrol (10 November 1940 – 13 March 1941), U-48 now again under the command of Herbert Schultze. He commanded U-146 and U-94, sinking fifteen ships on seven patrols, for a total of 76,882 gross register tons (GRT) tons of Allied shipping. In September 1941 the Pegasus was torpedoed and all the crew managed to scramble into 2 lifeboats. One of the lifeboats was rescued but the other was found empty and upside down. The Captain reported that the Pegasus was torpedoed twice, the first one caused quite a lot of damage and the crew left the ship, but then she was torpedoed again and she sank. On 28 August 1942 U-94 was sunk by depth charges in the Caribbean Sea, in position 17°40′N 74°30′W / 17.667°N 74.500°W / 17.667; -74.500 (U-94 (submarine)) from a Catalina of VP-92 and by the Canadian corvette Oakville. Ites and 25 of his crew were taken prisoner of war. Ites remained in US captivity at Camp Crossville, Tennessee, until 1 May 1946.

After the war Otto Ites matriculated at the University of Bonn in the winter semester 1946/47. He submitted his dissertation on 20 October 1950 at the medical faculty. Dr. Ites joined the military service of the Bundesmarine and as Fregattenkapitän commanded the destroyer Zerstörer 2 (D171), formerly USS Ringgold (DD-500), from November 1960 until September 1962. His twin brother, Oberleutnant zur See Rudolf Ites, commander of U-709, was killed in action on 1 March 1944. U-709 was sunk by depth charges from the US destroyer escorts USS Thomas, Bostwick and Bronstein north of the Azores at 49°10′N 26°00′W / 49.167°N 26.000°W / 49.167; -26.000 (U-709 (submarine)).

Summary of career

Ships Attacked

As commander of U-146 and U-94 Otto Ites is credited with the sinking of 15 merchant ships for a total of 76,882 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one further ship of 8,022 GRT.

Date Name of ship Flag Tonnage Fate
28 June 1941Pluto Finland3,496Sunk at 58°48′N 08°45′W / 58.800°N 8.750°W / 58.800; -8.750 (Pluto (ship))
15 September 1941Newbury United Kingdom5,102Sunk at 54°39′N 28°04′W / 54.650°N 28.067°W / 54.650; -28.067 (Newbury (ship))
15 September 1941Pegasus Greece5,762Sunk at 54°40′N 29°50′W / 54.667°N 29.833°W / 54.667; -29.833 (Pegasus (ship))
15 September 1941Empire Eland United Kingdom5,613Sunk at 54°00′N 28°00′W / 54.000°N 28.000°W / 54.000; -28.000 (Empire Eland (ship))
1 October 1941San Florentino United Kingdom12,842Sunk at 52°50′N 34°40′W / 52.833°N 34.667°W / 52.833; -34.667 (San Florentino (ship))
24 February 1942Empire Hail United Kingdom7,005Sunk at 44°48′N 40°21′W / 44.800°N 40.350°W / 44.800; -40.350 (Empire Hail (ship))
9 March 1942Cayrǘ Brazil5,152Sunk at 39°10′N 72°02′W / 39.167°N 72.033°W / 39.167; -72.033 (Cayrǘ (ship))
11 March 1942Hvoslef Norway1,630Sunk at 38°27′N 74°54′W / 38.450°N 74.900°W / 38.450; -74.900 (Hvoslef (ship))
25 March 1942Imperial Transport United Kingdom8,022Damaged at 46°26′N 41°30′W / 46.433°N 41.500°W / 46.433; -41.500 (Imperial Transport (ship))
12 May 1942Coclé Panama5,630Sunk at 52°37′N 29°13′W / 52.617°N 29.217°W / 52.617; -29.217 (Coclé (ship))
13 May 1942Tolken Sweden4,471Sunk at 51°50′N 33°35′W / 51.833°N 33.583°W / 51.833; -33.583 (Tolken (ship))
13 May 1942Batna United Kingdom4,399Sunk at 52°09′N 33°56′W / 52.150°N 33.933°W / 52.150; -33.933 (Batna (ship))
5 June 1942Maria de Glória* Portugal320Sunk at 50°14′N 39°12′W / 50.233°N 39.200°W / 50.233; -39.200 (Maria de Glória (ship))
10 June 1942Ramsay United Kingdom4,855Sunk at 51°53′N 34°59′W / 51.883°N 34.983°W / 51.883; -34.983 (Ramsay (ship))
10 June 1942Empire Clough United Kingdom6,147Sunk at 51°50′N 35°00′W / 51.833°N 35.000°W / 51.833; -35.000 (Ramsay (ship))
11 June 1942Pontypridd United Kingdom4,458Sunk at 49°50′N 41°37′W / 49.833°N 41.617°W / 49.833; -41.617 (Pontypridd (ship))

* Sailing vessel

Awards

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 Busch & Röll 2003, p. 207.
  2. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 240.
  3. Scherzer 2007, p. 414.

Bibliography

  • Busch, Rainer; Röll, Hans-Joachim (2003). Der U-Boot-Krieg 1939–1945 — Die Ritterkreuzträger der U-Boot-Waffe von September 1939 bis Mai 1945 [The U-Boat War 1939–1945 — The Knight's Cross Bearers of the U-Boat Force from September 1939 to May 1945] (in German). Hamburg, Berlin, Bonn Germany: Verlag E.S. Mittler & Sohn. ISBN 978-3-8132-0515-2. 
  • Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6. 
  • Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2. 
  • Die Wehrmachtberichte 1939–1945 Band 2, 1. Januar 1942 bis 31. Dezember 1943 [The Wehrmacht Reports 1939–1945 Volume 2, 1 January 1942 to 31 December 1943] (in German). München, Germany: Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag GmbH & Co. KG. 1985. ISBN 978-3-423-05944-2. 
Military offices
Preceded by
Fregattenkapitän Günter Kuhnke
Commander of German destroyer Z-2 (formerly USS Ringgold)
December 1960 – September 1962
Succeeded by
Fregattenkapitän Paul Brasack
Preceded by
Konteradmiral Günter Luther
Chief of the Navy Office
1 April 1975 – 30 September 1977
Succeeded by
Konteradmiral Horst Geffers
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