Quick Facts
Biography
Georg Staats (13 March 1916 in Bremen – 12 November 1943 in the Bay of Biscay) 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. He and the entire crew of U-508 were killed in the Bay of Biscay north of Cape Ortegal by depth charges from a US Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber.
Career
Staats was born on 13 March 1916 in Bremen. He was appointed Seekadett (midshipman) on 25 September 1935 and completed his training on the light cruiser Karlsruhe and the battleship Gneisenau. He was transferred to the U.boat force in April 1939 as an Leutnant zur See. In 1939 and 1940 he served as watch officer of U-5 and U-A.
Summary of career
Ships attacked
As commander of U-508 Staats is credited with the sinking of 14 merchant ships for a total of 74,087 gross register tons (GRT).
| Date | Name | Nationality | Tonnage (GRT) | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 August 1942 | Manzanillo |  Cuba | 1,025 | Sunk |
| 12 August 1942 | Santiago de Cuba | Cuba | 1,685 | Sunk |
| 7 November 1942 | Lindenhall |  United Kingdom | 5,248 | Sunk |
| 7 November 1942 | Nathaniel Hawthorn |  USA | 7,176 | Sunk |
| 17 November 1942 | City of Corinth | United Kingdom | 5,318 | Sunk |
| 27 November 1942 | Clan Mcfadyen | United Kingdom | 6,191 | Sunk |
| 28 November 1942 | Empire Cromwell | United Kingdom | 5,970 | Sunk |
| 1 December 1942 | Trevalgan | United Kingdom | 5,299 | Sunk |
| 2 December 1942 | City of Bath | United Kingdom | 5,079 | Sunk |
| 3 December 1942 | Solon II | United Kingdom | 4,561 | Sunk |
| 9 December 1942 | Nigerian | United Kingdom | 5,423 | Sunk |
| 9 July 1943 | De La Salle | United Kingdom | 8,400 | Sunk |
| 9 July 1943 | Manchester Citizen | United Kingdom | 5,343 | Sunk |
| 18 July 1943 | Incomati | United Kingdom | 7,369 | Sunk |
Awards
- Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (5 April 1939)
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd Class (28 August 1940)
- 1st Class (9 January 1943)
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (28 August 1940)
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 14 July 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-508
- Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit by U-508". German U-boats of WWII - uboat.net.
- ^ Busch & Röll 2003, p. 371.
- Fellgiebel 2000, p. 406.
- Scherzer 2007, p. 715.