Rolf Thomsen – U-Boat Commander of U-1202

Postwar Signature of Rolf Thomsen, a U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine during World War II and later served with the Bundesmarine. He received the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves for his command of the German submarine U-1202.

Thomsen served as a naval aviator from 1939 until early 1943. He transferred to the U-boat service on 1 January 1944 and on 27 January 1944 commissioned U-1202. During two patrols, Thomsen reported his ship’s attacks on a destroyer, two corvettes, six freighters and an escort carrier, for which he received the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves. The loss of one of these ships, Dan Beard, was confirmed by the Allies. Thomsen served in the Bundesmarine of West Germany since 1955, achieving the rank of Flotilla Admiral in 1966. (Source: Wikipedia)