Otto Kretschmer was only in combat from September 1939 until March 1941 but was Germany's highest-scoring U-boat commander, sinking 47 ships totaling 274,333 tons. This definitive work details his personal story and the political backdrop from his earliest days. After completing his officer training and time on the training ship Niobe he served aboard the light cruiser Emden. In December 1934, he was transferred to the light cruiser K√dln, then...