Career
The Knight"s Cross of the Iron Cross was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Prior to taking command of U-185 he served as I. Wachoffizier (1st watch officer) on U-68 under the command of Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten. Maus was captured following the sinking of U-185 and was sent as a prisoner of war to the United States.
He was involved in the escape tunnel which enabled 25 POWs to escape from Camp Papago Park, Arizona, during the night of 23–24 December 1944.
Due to an injury, he himself did not attempt to escape. As a U-boat commander of U-185 August Maus is credited with the sinking of nine ships for a total of 62,761 gross register tons (GRT) and damaging one ship of 6,840 GRT. Ships attacked Bibliography.