Walter Pietschmann (31 July 1919 – 8 February 1944) was the captain of U-762, a Kriegsmarine submarine of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was killed with all other 50 crew members when his ship was torpedoed by HMS Wild Goose and HMS Woodpecker, two Royal Navy sloops, in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Biography[]
Pietschmann was born on 31 July 1919 in Rauschwalde, Saxony, Germany, and he was made Fahnrich zur See on 1 April 1939 on the eve of World War II. He was initially the commander of U-712 from 5 November 1942 to 14 December 1943, although he had no war patrols. Pietschmann took command of U-762 on 15 December 1943, succeeding Wolfgang Hille. From 28 December 1943 to 8 February 1944 he went on a patrol with his new submarine, but on 8 February 1944 he was torpedoed by the United Kingdom's sloops HMS Wild Goose and HMS Woodpecker, and his submarine was sunk with the loss of all 51 hands.