Dietrich Schöneboom

Dietrich Schöneboom (9 December 1917 – 21 October 1943) was a German U-boat commander in World War II and 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.

Ships attacked

During his command of U-431 Schöneboom sank four merchant ships for 265 GRT and damaged one further ships so severely that it was a total loss of 6,415 GRT.

Date	Name	Nationality	Tonnage (GRT)	Fate
23 January 1943	Alexandria	Egypt	100	Sunk
25 January 1943	Mouyassar	Syria	47	Sunk
25 January 1943	Omar el Kattab	Syria	38	Sunk
26 January 1943	Hassan	Syria	80	Sunk

Awards

• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (July 1940)
  • 1st Class (1 August 1941)
• Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände (September 1940)
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (12 February 1943)
• Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (10 August 1943)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 20 October 1943 as Oberleutnant zur See and commander of U-431

• Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-431". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net. Retrieved 3 August 2016. 
• ^ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 389.
• Fellgiebel 2000, p. 386.