JOSEPH GOEBBELS PRESENTATION EAGLE TO A U-BOAT ACE

JOSEPH GOEBBELS PRESENTATION EAGLE TO A U-BOAT ACE
An important presentation Third Reich eagle in heavy silver plate, mounted to a polished marble base with a mounted, hand-engraved silver presentation plaque which reads: 'Kplt. Krech zur erfolgreichen Feindfahrt Ihr, Dr. Goebbels' ('To Kplt. Krech For a successful mission against the enemy, Dr. Goebbels'). On the marble base is a second engraved plaque, the date of the presentation of this award: '23.2.1943'. The eagle measures 9 3/8 in. across the wings, and is 8 3/4 tall overall. Tarnished a bit as one would expect, else in fine condition. A historical piece, especially since it was back-dated by Goebbel's to the date of the very last vessel Krech would sink: the tanker EMPIRE NORSEMAN, sunk in the mid-Atlantic off Morocco. Gunther Krech (1914-2000) began his naval career in April 1933. Later, like Reinhard Hardegen and several other officers who would go on to become successful U-boat commanders, he was seconded to the Luftwaffe, his time spent mostly in staff positions, at one point with Luftwaffe High Command. In November 1939 Krech returned to the Kriegsmarine and began U-boat training. He received his first combat experience as 1st Watch Officer on U-100 under Kptlt. Joachim Schepke. In 1941 Krech commissioned U-558. Over ten patrols, mostly in the Atlantic and Caribbean, he sank or destroyed 19 ships. U-558 was sunk by U.S. aircraft on July 20, 1943 in the Bay of Biscay after being attacked by aircraft for days on end. Only Kptlt. Krech, the LI and three men from the gun crew survived to spend the rest of the war in captivity. A great relic.