April 05, 2022
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Dipl.-Ing. Willi Lechtenbörger (2 February 1914 in Bottrop – 27 August 1943 in the Sargasso Sea) was a German chief engineer (Leitender Ingenieur or LI) on a U-boat in World War II and a posthumous recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership.

Willi Lechtenbörger was chief engineer under the command of Adalbert Schnee on board the U-60 and U-201. He and the entire crew of U-847 under the command of Herbert Kuppisch were killed by aircraft from the U.S. escort carrier USS Card on 27 August 1943.

  • U-boat War Badge (1939) (10 September 1940)
  • Iron Cross (1939)
    • 2nd Class (10 September 1940)
    • 1st Class (21 May 1941)
  • German Cross in Gold on 30 September 1942 as Oberleutnant (Ing.) of the Reserves on U-201 in the 1st U-boat Flotilla
  • Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 4 September 1943 (posthumous) as Oberleutnant (Ing.) of the Reserves and chief engineer on U-847