Robert-Richard Zapp (3 April 1904 – 17 July 1964) was a German naval officer in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. As commander of the Type IXC U-boat , he sank sixteen ships on five patrols, for a total of 106,200 tons of Allied shipping. He was a recipient of the

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (german: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes), or simply the Knight's Cross (), and its variants, were the highest awards in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. The Knight' ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

Career

Robert-Richard Zapp joined the ''

Reichsmarine The ''Reichsmarine'' ( en, Realm Navy) was the name of the German Navy during the Weimar Republic and first two years of Nazi Germany. It was the naval branch of the '' Reichswehr'', existing from 1919 to 1935. In 1935, it became known as the ...

'' in May 1923. Before joining the U-boat service in 1939, he served aboard a minesweeper and later on took command of ''251 Marineflak'' (Naval anti-aircraft artillery). After initial training, he served on board for a short while under ''

Oberleutnant zur See ''Oberleutnant zur See'' (''OLt zS'' or ''OLZS'' in the German Navy, ''Oblt.z.S.'' in the '' Kriegsmarine'') is traditionally the highest rank of Lieutenant in the German Navy. It is grouped as OF-1 in NATO. The rank was introduced in the Imp ...

'' Engelbert Endrass, with whom he participated in the battle against Convoy HX 79 in October 1940. Zapp was appointed commander of in January 1941. ''U-66'' was one of the boats that participated in the first wave of attacks in " Operation Drumbeat". On the first patrol of this operation, he sank five vessels, totalling 33,456 tons. On his second patrol off the eastern seaboard of the USA he sank six vessels totaling 43,946 tons. They included the Canadian passenger liner on 19 January, whose final death toll was 251. Zapp was awarded the

on 23 April 1942. In June 1942 he was posted ashore to become commander of '' 3rd U-boat Flotilla'', based at

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. Wi ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. On 1 January 1945 he was promoted to ''

Fregattenkapitän Fregattenkapitän, short: FKpt / in lists: FK, () is the middle field officer rank () in the German Navy. Address In line with ZDv 10/8, the official manner of formally addressing military personnel holding the rank of ''Fregattenkapitän'' ...

''. In the last three months of the war, he became commander of ''Marine-Regiment Zapp'' and defended the U-boat base at La Rochelle until the very end of the war in May 1945. He spent over two years in French captivity and was released on 7 July 1947.

Awards

* U-boat War Badge (14 May 1941)Busch & Röll 2003, p. 210. *

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

(1939) ** 2nd Class (6 August 1941) ** 1st Class (6 August 1941) *

War Merit Cross The War Merit Cross (german: Kriegsverdienstkreuz) was a state decoration of Nazi Germany during World War II. By the end of the conflict it was issued in four degrees and had an equivalent civil award. A " de-Nazified" version of the War Meri ...

2nd Class with Swords (30 January 1945) *

on 23 April 1942 as ''

Korvettenkapitän () is the lowest ranking senior officer in a number of Germanic-speaking navies. Austro-Hungary Belgium Germany Korvettenkapitän, short: KKpt/in lists: KK, () is the lowest senior officer rank () in the German Navy. Address The off ...

'' and commander of ''U-66''Fellgiebel 2000, p. 455.

Notes

References

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Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Zapp, Robert-Richard 1904 births 1964 deaths German prisoners of war in World War II held by France People from Germersheim People from the Palatinate (region) Recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross Reichsmarine personnel U-boat commanders (Kriegsmarine) Military personnel from Rhineland-Palatinate