Career
Rose was one of the most respected and brave U-boat commanders and famous for his humanity and fairness in battle. Sometimes when he torpedoed a ship he would wait until all the lifeboats were filled, he would then throw a tow line, give the victims food, keeping all the survivors together until a rescuing destroyer appeared on the horizon when he would let go and submerge. There exist many reports of him caring for survivors even when putting his own boat at risk.
Rose sank 79 ships for a total of 213,987 gross register tons (GRT) during the entire war.
In September 1916 Rose brought U-53 to Newport, Rhode Island, much to the amazement of the American authorities. After delivering a message to the German Ambassador he proceeded offshore to the Lightship Nantucket.
He sent five or six ships to the bottom having questioned their captains on their cargo and ordered the abandonment of their ships. On March 11, 1917 Rose, still in command of U-53, torpedoed and sank the 6705 tons Cunard Liner Rated Maximum Sinusoidal Folia.
On December 6, 1917 Rose torpedoed and sank United States Ship Jacob Jones which was the first American destroyer to be lost during the First World War.
The torpedo hit Jacob Jones at 3,000 yards (2,700 m), the longest successful torpedo shot on record at the time. He was also awarded the Ritterkreuz des Hohenzollerschen Hausordens mit Schwertern. I
Hans Rose was in command of 1.
Unterseeboots-Ausbildungsabteilung (U-boat training unit) from February 1940 to May 1940.