Rolf Mützelburg (23 June 1913 – 11 September 1942) was a German U-boat commander during World War II and a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves of Nazi Germany. Mützelburg died on active service on 11 September 1942 following an accident at sea.
Career Mützelburg joined the Reichsmarine of the Weimar Republic on 1 April 1932 as member of "Crew 32" (the incoming class of 1932). After spending two years on minesweepers, in October 1939 he joined the U-boat arm. He spent five months commanding the school boat from June to November 1940 as part of 21st U-boat Flotilla, receiving his first combat experience aboard under Joachim Schepke. He commissioned into 1st U-boat Flotilla in February 1941. On his eight patrols in the Atlantic, the US east coast, and the Caribbean Sea, he sank 19 ships for a total of , and damaged three more ().
Mützelburg died on 11 September 1942 in an accident. He was swimming in the Atlantic south-west of the Azores, and dived from the conning tower, but struck the deck head-first when the U-boat suddenly lurched in a swell. A supply U-boat, , arrived the next day with a doctor on board. But it was too late, and Mützelburg was buried at sea on 12 September 1942.
Awards Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (15 August 1936)Busch & Röll 2003, p. 156. Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (1 July 1941) & 1st Class (1 July 1941)Busch & Röll 2003, p. 157. U-boat War Badge (1939) (1 July 1941) Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves Knight's Cross on 17 November 1941 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-203Fellgiebel 2000, p. 319. Oak Leaves on 15 July 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-203Fellgiebel 2000, p. 60.
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Bibliography
Rohwer, Jürgen (1999). Axis submarine successes of World War Two: German, Italian, and Japanese submarine successes, 1939-1945. Greenhill Books. .