Horst Degen

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Horst Degen (19 July 1913 – 29 January 1996) was a German submarine commander in World War II. He was born in Münster and joined the navy in the 1930s. Before serving on submarines, he worked on the destroyer Z10 Hans Lody as a second watch officer.

Degen trained to command submarines in 1940–41 and briefly served on U-552 during his training. He was promoted and in 1941 began commanding U-701, a Type VIIC submarine, with the 3rd U-boat Flotilla based in Kiel and La Pallice. Under his command, U-701 sank five Allied ships totaling 25,390 GRT and damaged four more for 37,093 GRT. The submarine also sank four auxiliary warships and damaged a destroyer.

In 1942 he was ordered to help block the Chesapeake Bay, with mines to be laid by U-373 and U-87 near American harbors.

On 7 July 1942, U-701 was sunk by depth charges from an American aircraft off Cape Hatteras. Degen and six crew members survived; the rest died. He was captured and later released in June 1946.

Degen died in Lüneburg in 1996. He received several decorations during his career, including the Iron Cross (2nd Class in 1939 and 1st Class in 1942), the Destroyer War Badge (1940), and the U-boat War Badge (1942).