Wilhelm Dommes

Wilhelm Dommes (16 April 1907 in Berent District, West Prussia – 23 January 1990 in Hannover) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. He was the commander of U-boats in the Indian Ocean,^[1] whereby German and Japanese forces fought together in the only time in the war. Dommes was the first commander of the U-boat base, in the former British seaplane base in Penang,^[2] where he served as head of the Southeast Asia U-boat region.

Wilhelm Dommes
Born	(1907-04-16)16 April 1907 Berent District, West Prussia, German Empire
Died	23 January 1990(1990-01-23) (aged 82) Hannover, Lower Saxony, West Germany
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Branch	Kriegsmarine
Years of service	1933–45
Rank	Fregattenkapitän
Commands	U-431 U-178 Southeast Asia U-boat region
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 3rd Class (23 January 1937)^[3]
• The Return of Sudetenland Commemorative Medal of 1 October 1938 (6 September 1940)^[3]
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (29 November 1939)^[3]
  • 1st Class (10 February 1942)^[3]
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (10 February 1942)^[3]
• Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (27 July 1942)^[3]
• Medaglia d'Argento al Valor Militare (29 May 1943)^[4]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 2 December 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-431^[5][6]
• War Merit Cross with Swords
  • 2nd Class (30 January 1945)^[4]
  • 1st Class (20 April 1945)^[4]
• U-boat Front Clasp (5 March 1945)^[4]