August Maus

August Maus
File:August Maus.jpg
Born	(1915-02-07)7 February 1915 Wuppertal
Died	Hamburg
Allegiance	Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Kriegsmarine
Rank	Kapitänleutnant
Unit	SSS Gorch Fock cruiser Emden U-68
Commands held	U-185
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of the Atlantic Great Papago Escape
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

U-185 sunk on 24 August 1943

August Maus (7 February 1915 – 28 September 1996) 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. Prior to taking command of U-185 he served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on U-68 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten.

Maus was captured following the sinking of U-185 and was sent as a prisoner of war to the United States. He was involved in the escape tunnel which enabled 25 POWs to escape from Camp Papago Park, Arizona, during the night of 23–24 December 1944. Due to an injury, he himself did not attempt to escape.

Summary of career

As a U-boat commander of U-185 August Maus is credited with the sinking of nine ships for a total of 62,761 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one ship of 6,840 GRT.

Ships attacked

Date	Name of ship	Flag	Tonnage	Fate
7 December 1942	Peter Mærsk	United Kingdom	5,476	Sunk
10 March 1943	Virginia Sinclair	United States	6,151	Sunk
10 March 1943	James Sprunt	United States	7,177	Sunk
6 April 1943	John Sevier	United States	7,176	Sunk
9 April 1943	James Robertson	United States	7,176	Sunk
7 July 1943	Thomas Sinnickson	United States	7,176	Sunk
7 July 1943	William Boyce Thompson	United States	7,061	Sunk
7 July 1943	S.B. Hunt	United States	6,840	Sunk
1 August 1943	Bagé	Brazil	8,235	Sunk
6 August 1943	Fort Halkett	United Kingdom	7,133	Sunk

Awards

• Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class (1 April 1938)
• Spanish Cross (5 June 1940)
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (6 October 1939)
  • 1st Class (5 May 1943)
• High Seas Fleet Badge (9 November 1942)
• U-boat War Badge (1939) (26 December 1942)
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 21 September 1943 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-185

References

Bibliography

• Moore, John Hammond (2006). The Faustball Tunnel: German POWs in America and Their Great Escape. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-59114-526-4.