The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. ZG 3 Hermes, under the command of Rechel, sank the British submarine HMS Splendid on 21 April 1943. Iron Cross (1939) Bibliography.
Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (6 November 1939) 1st Class (3 June 1940) Destroyer War Badge (19 October 1940) Narvik Shield (1 November 1940) German Cross in Gold on 20 November 1941 as Korvettenkapitän on Z-29/8. Zerstörer-Flottille Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross on 8 May 1943 as Fregattenkapitän and commander of Zerstörer Z-29 Medaglia d"Argento al Valore Militare (27 April 1943).
