Helmut Rosenbaum

Infobox Military Person
name=Helmut Rosenbaum
born=birth date|1913|5|11|df=y
died=dda|1944|10|5|1913|5|11|df=y
placeofbirth=Döbeln
placeofdeath=near Constanţa, Romania


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|Weimar Republic Weimar Republic (to 1945)
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
branch=navy|Weimar Republic
navy|Nazi Germany
serviceyears=1932–1944
rank=Korvettenkapitän (posthumous)
commands="U-2"
"U-73"
unit=
battles=World War II
*Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945)
awards=Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
laterwork=

Helmut Rosenbaum (11 May 1913 – 5 October 1944) was a "Korvettenkapitän" with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. He is also a recipient of the coveted Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. His greatest achievement as U-boat commander was the sinking of the British aircraft carrier HMS "Eagle" on 11 August 1942.

Military career

Helmut Rosenbaum commissioned U 73 on 30 September 1940 after completing his first patrols in U 2. He sank four ships on his first patrol in the North Atlantic. In February 1942 U 73 was heavily bombed during his first Mediterranean patrol but nevertheless managed to reach La Spezia.Kurowski 1995, p.215.]

In August 1942 Rosenbaum attempted an attack on a convoy of Operation Pedestal bound for Malta. On 11 August 1942 he made contact and fired four torpedoes at the aircraft carrier HMS "Eagle" sinking her in the engagement.

Helmut Rosenbaum was killed in an airplane crash on 10 May 1944 near Constanţa in Romania as commander of the 30. Unterseebootsflottille. Rosenbaum was on his way to a meeting with the commanding admiral of the Black Sea.

Awards

* Spanish Cross (6 June 1939)
* Iron Cross (1939)
** 2nd Class (16 April 1940)
** 1st Class (25 April 1941)
* U-boat War Badge (4 march 1941)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (12 August 1942)

Combat career

References

* Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer. "Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939-1945". Friedburg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas, 2000. ISBN 3-7909-0284-5.
* Kurowski, Franz. "Knight's Cross Holders of the U-Boat Service". Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 1995. ISBN 0-88740-748-X.

;External link
* [http://uboat.net/men/rosenbaum.htm uboat.net]