From Hitler’s Ace to NATO Admiral: The Impossible Life of Erich Topp. скачать в хорошем качестве

From Hitler’s Ace to NATO Admiral: The Impossible Life of Erich Topp.

He killed 115 Americans before Pearl Harbor. Decades later, he became a NATO admiral. The incredible story of Nazi Germany's third deadliest U-boat ace — and his transformation into a Cold War ally. 📊 ERICH TOPP'S WAR RECORD: • Ships sunk: 35+ • Tonnage: ~198,000 tons • Rank among U-boat aces: #3 (all-time) • Commands: U-57, U-552 "Red Devil," U-2513 • Decorations: Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords • Notable action: Sinking of USS Reuben James (Oct 31, 1941) 🎖️ KEY DECORATIONS: • Iron Cross 2nd Class (1940) • Iron Cross 1st Class (1940) • Knight's Cross (June 1941) • Oak Leaves (April 1942) • Swords (August 1942) ⚓ U-BOATS COMMANDED: • U-57 (Type IIC) — 1940-1941 • U-552 (Type VIIC) "Red Devil" — 1941-1942 • U-2513 (Type XXI) — 1945 👤 ERICH TOPP BIOGRAPHY: • Born: July 2, 1914, Hannover, Germany • Naval service: 1934-1945 (Kriegsmarine) • Post-war: Naval architect • Bundesmarine: 1958-1969 • Final rank: Rear Admiral (NATO) • Died: December 26, 2005 (age 91) 🔴 THE RED DEVIL EMBLEM: U-552's distinctive red devil became one of the most recognized U-boat insignias of WWII — a symbol of Topp's aggressive tactics and remarkable success rate. ⚠️ USS REUBEN JAMES: First US Navy warship sunk in WWII Atlantic • Date: October 31, 1941 • Location: 600 miles west of Ireland • Casualties: 115 of 160 crew killed • Context: USS Kearny torpedoed 2 weeks earlier (11 dead) • Significance: Part of undeclared naval war before Pearl Harbor 🚢 POST-WAR FATE OF TOPP'S SUBMARINES: • U-552: Scuttled in Operation Deadlight (1945) • U-2513: Toured by President Truman (1946), later sunk as target off Key West (1951) 🔧 BUNDESMARINE CONTRIBUTIONS: Topp helped develop West Germany's post-war submarine classes (Type 201, Type 205) that formed the backbone of NATO's underwater defense. 📚 SOURCES: • German U-boat command records • Bundesarchiv military files • Naval History and Heritage Command • NHHC records on USS Reuben James and USS Kearny • Operation Deadlight documentation 🔔 Subscribe for more complex stories from military history. #uboat #wwii #erichtopp #u552 #kriegsmarine #battleofatlantic #reubenjames #knightscross #militaryhistory #documentary