Hans-Werner Kraus
# Hans-Werner Kraus

Hans-Werner Kraus (1 July 1915 – 25 May 1990) was a German U-boat commander in the Kriegsmarine of Nazi Germany. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.

Kraus served as 1st watch officer on U-47 from January 1940 until November 1940 having replaced Engelbert Endrass. He later commanded U-83 and U-199.

He was on board the latter when it was attacked by Brazilian Air Force aircraft on 27 June 1943. Kraus evaded only to be targeted by a VP-74 Mariner (BuNo 6571) piloted by Lt. Harold C. Carey. The German crew shot it down and the crew were killed.

Kraus was sunk by aircraft off the coast of Brazil on 31 July 1943. Captured, he was sent as a POW to the United States. Kraus was one of the 25 POWs who escaped from Camp Papago Park, Arizona, during the night of 23–24 December 1944 but was recaptured.

## Summary of career

### Ships attacked

| Date | U-boat | Ship | Nationality | Tonnage | Fate |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 12 October 1941 | U-83 | Eagle | United Kingdom | 2,044 | damaged |
| 12 October 1941 | U-83 | Corte Real | Portugal | 2,044 | Sunk |
| 20 October 1941 | U-83 | Indra | Panama | 2,032 | Sunk |
| 26 October 1941 | U-83 | HMS Anguani | Royal Navy | 6,746 | Damaged |
| 17 March 1942 | U-83 | Crista | United Kingdom | 2,590 | Damaged |
| 8 June 1942 | U-83 | Esther * | Mandatory Palestine | 100 | Sunk |
| 8 June 1942 | U-83 | Said | Egypt | 231 | Sunk |
| 9 June 1942 | U-83 | Typhoon * | Mandatory Palestine | 175 | Sunk |
| 13 June 1942 | U-83 | HMS Farouk | Royal Navy | 96 | Sunk |
| 17 August 1942 | U-83 | Princess Marguerite | Canada | 5,875 | Sunk |
| 27 June 1943 | U-199 | Charles Wilson Peale | United States | 7,176 | damaged |
| 4 July 1943 | U-199 | Changri-Lá | Brazil | 20 | Sunk |
| 24 July 1943 | U-199 | Henzada | United Kingdom | 4,161 | Sunk |
| * Sailing vessel ||||||

### Awards

* Wehrmacht Long Service Award 4th Class
* U-boat War Badge (1939) (29 April 1940)
* Medaglia di bronzo al Valore Militare (18 March 1942)
* Iron Cross (1939)
   * 2nd Class (8 July 1940)
   * 1st Class (28 September 1940)
* Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 19 June 1942 as Kapitänleutnant and commander of U-83
* Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht on 22 March 1942
