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- U-Boat Engineer Kapitänleutnant Gerhard Bielig, 1916
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Gerhard Bielig (28 April 1916 – 29 September 2004) was a German U-boat engineer (Ing.) 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 recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.
Gerhard Bielig joined the Reichsmarine as a Seekadett on 26 September 1934. He was promoted to Fähnrich (Ing.) on 1 July 1935 and to Oberfähnrich (Ing.) on 1 January 1937. Bielig was transferred to the U-boat service in October 1937. Now a Leutnant (Ing.), he was posted to U-20 as chief engineer (German language: Leitender Ingenieur LI). Bielig participated on eight patrols on board the U-20. Oberleutnant (Ing.) Bielig left U-20 in March 1940 and was assigned to U-103 as chief engineer in July 1940. He went on five patrols with this U-boat. He left the boat as Kapitänleutnant (Ing.) in December 1941 only to be transferred to U-177 in March 1942. U-177 at the time was under command of Robert Gysae. Here he was bestowed with the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 February 1943 after he saved the U-boat from severe depth charging. After two combat patrols he left U-177 in October 1943 again and became an instructor at the 2. Unterseeboots - Lehr - Division.
- Iron Cross (1939)
- 2nd class (23 November 1939)
- 1st class (21 October 1940)
- U-boat War Badge (1939) (17 October 1939)
- German Cross in Gold on 9 December 1941 as Oberleutnant (Ing) on U-103/29. Unterseeboots - Flottille
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 10 February 1943 as Kapitänleutnant (Ing) and chief engineer on U-177
- U-Boat Front Clasp in Bronze (10 October 1944)