(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Konteradmiral Rolf Johannesson
Born: 22 Jul 1900 in Berlin-Lichterfelde
Died: 06 Dec 1989 in Hamburg
Promotions:
Seeoffiziersanwärter (26 Mar 1921); Fähnrich zur See (01 Apr 1922); Oberfähnrich zur See (01 Oct 1923); Leutnant zur See (01 Apr 1924); Oberleutnant zur See (01 Jan 1926); Kapitänleutnant (01 Jul 1933); Korvettenkapitän (01 Apr 1937); Fregattenkapitän (01 Aug 1940); Kapitän zur See (01 Sep 1942); Konteradmiral (30 Jan 1945); Flottillenadmiral (01 Jan 1957); Konteradmiral (22 Dec 1958)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett at the Naval-School Mürwik (01 Jul 1918-06 Oct 1918)
Training on the Liner ‘Schlesien’ (07 Oct 1918-30 Nov 1918)
Granted Leave (01 Dec 1918-31 Dec 1918)
Discharged to the Reserve (31 Dec 1918-20 Feb 1921)
With the Naval-Assault-Company, 1st Guards-Reserve-Regiment (15 Feb 1919-15 Jul 1919)
Called Up from Reserve to the 11th Minesweeper-Flotilla (20 Feb 1921-25 Mar 1921)
On Board the Cruiser ‘Hamburg’ (26 Mar 1921-31 Mar 1922)
With the Naval-School Mürwik (01 Apr 1922-31 Mar 1923)
Weapons-Course and on Board the Cruiser ‘Berlin’ (01 Apr 1923-30 Mar 1924)
Watch-Officer with the I. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (31 Mar 1924-29 Sep 1927)
Adjutant of the Ships-Artillery-School (30 Sep 1927-31 May 1928)
Adjutant of the III. Naval-Artillery-Battalion (01 Jun 1928-19 Nov 1928)
At the same time, Commandant of UZ-Half-Flotilla (18 Jul 1928-22 Sep 1928)
Adjutant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (03 Dec 1928-29 Sep 1930)
At the same time, Commandant of the Tender ‘Wacht’ (07 Sep 1929-20 Sep 1929)
Watch and 2nd Artillery-Officer on the Cruiser ‘Königsberg’ (30 Sep 1930-26 Sep 1932)
Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat ‘G 8’ (27 Sep 1932-23 Sep 1934)
In the Abwehr-Department, Reichs War Ministry (24 Sep 1934-14 Nov 1937)
At the same time, Special-Command in Spain (10 Jul 1937-31 Oct 1937)
Commander of the Training-Department of 3rd/5th Destroyer-Divisions (15 Nov 1937-17 May 1938)
Construction-Indoctrination Destroyers with the Works Blohm & Voss, Hamburg (18 May 1938-07 Jun 1938)
Commandant of the Destroyer ‘Erich Steinbrinck’ (08 Jun 1938-27 Jan 1942)
At the same time, 1st Admiral-Staff-Officer, Section-Staff Athens, Staff Naval-Group South (18 Oct 1941-10 Dec 1941)
Commandant of the Destroyer ‘ZG 3 Hermes’ (08 Feb 1942-02 Apr 1943)
Chief of the 4th Destroyer-Flotilla (06 Apr 1943-08 Nov 1944)
At the same time, Acting-Commander of Battle-Groups (Norway) (27 Dec 1943-15 Jan 1944)
Commandant of Sea-Fortifications of the Elbe and Wesermündung then the Division-Group in the Area (13 Nov 1944-31 Dec 1945)
At the same time, Acting-Commanding Admiral Deutsche Bucht (11 Feb 1945-14 Mar 1945)
In Captivity (31 Dec 1945-10 Dec 1946)
Released (10 Dec 1946)
Entered the Bundeswehr and Attended Qualification-Tests at the Federal Ministry for Defence (01 Jan 1957-15 Mar 1957)
Commander of Sea Forces (16 Mar 1957-31 Mar 1958)
Commander Of The Fleet (01 Apr 1958-25 Aug 1961)
Retired (31 Aug 1961)
Federal-Representative with the Sea-Office Hamburg (17 May 1965-27 Sep 1983)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (138): am 07.12.1942 als Kapitän zur See und Kommandant Zerstörer “ZG 3 Hermes”
- Deutsches Kreuz in Gold: am 12.02.1942 als Fregattenkapitän und Kommandant Zerstörer Z 15 “Steinbrinck”
- 1939 EK I: 15.12.1939
- 1914 EK II: 19.07.1919
- Baltenkreuz II. Klasse
- Baltenkreuz I. Klasse
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer 1914/1918
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis II. Klasse: 11.05.1938
- Spanienkreuz in Silber mit Schwertern
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938: 20.12.1939 06.11.1939
- Zerstörer-Kriegsabzeichen: 00.00.1940
- Grosses Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland: 12.09.1961


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