Career
He sailed with U-140, U-96 and U-543, sinking three ships on seven patrols, for a total of 10.969 tons of Allied shipping. The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Hellriegel and the entire crew of U-543 were killed by depth charges and a homing torpedo from TBF Avenger aircraft (Venture capital-58) of the United States escort carrier United States Ship Wake Island on 2 July 1944.
Ships attacked As a U-boat commander of U-140, U-96 and U-543 Hans-Jürgen Hellriegel is credited with the sinking of 3 merchant ships for a total of 10,969 gross register tons (GRT), a warship of 206 GRT and damaging two ships of 17,179 GRT. U-boat War Badge (1939) (24 April 1940) Bibliography.