(Photo courtesy of Gareth Collins)
Vizeadmiral Friedrich Ruge
Born: 24 Dec 1894 in Leipzig
Died: 03 Jul 1985 in Tübingen
Promotions:
Fähnrich zur See (23 Dec 1914); Leutnant zur See (13 Jul 1916); Oberleutnant zur See (28 Sep 1920); Kapitänleutnant (01 Oct 1925); Korvettenkapitän (01 Apr 1933); Fregattenkapitän (01 Jan 1937); Kapitän zur See (01 Jan 1939); Kommodore (01 Feb 1940); Konteradmiral (01 Apr 1942); Vizeadmiral (01 Feb 1943); Vizeadmiral (Bundeswehr) (01 Mar 1956)
Career:
Entered the Navy as a Seekadett and Attended Basic-Training, on Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Hertha’ (01 Apr 1914-03 Aug 1914)
On Board the Liner ‘Lothringen’ (04 Aug 1914-00 Sep 1914)
On Board the Heavy Cruiser ‘Hertha’ (00 Sep 1914-16 Nov 1914)
Radio-Course (17 Nov 1914-23 Dec 1914)
On Board the Liner ‘Elsaß’ (24 Dec 1914-30 Nov 1915)
Naval-School and Courses (01 Dec 1915-30 Apr 1916)
Watch-Officer on Board the Torpedo-Boat ‘T 126’ of the Torpedo-Boat-School-Flotilla (01 May 1916-00 Nov 1916)
Radio, Watch and Artillery Officer on Board the Torpedo-Boat ‘B 110’ of the II. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (00 Nov 1916-00 Nov 1918)
Acting-Commandant of the Torpedo-Boat ‘B 112’ of the II. Torpedo-Boat-Flotilla (00 Nov 1918-21 Jun 1919)
In Captivity (22 Jun 1919-30 Jan 1920)
Released and Company-Officer with the Coastal-Defence-Battalion Kiel (31 Jan 1920-27 Apr 1920)
Assistant with the Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (28 Apr 1920-31 Aug 1920)
Assistant and Adjutant as the Barrier-Test-Command (09 Sep 1920-30 Sep 1923)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Tender ‘T 168’ (09 Sep 1920-30 Sep 1921)
At the same time, Watch-Officer on the Tender ‘M 60’ (01 Oct 1921-30 Sep 1923)
Platoon-Leader in the Coastal-Defence-Battalion III (01 Oct 1923-09 Oct 1924)
Detached to the Technical College in Berlin-Charlottenburg (10 Oct 1924-05 Oct 1926)
Commandant of the Minesweeper ‘M 136’ of the 1st Minesweeper-Flotilla (11 Oct 1926-01 Oct 1928)
Advisor in the Inspection of Torpedo and Mine Affairs (02 Oct 1928-17 Oct 1928)
Advisor in the Barrier Experiment and Instruction Command (18 Oct 1928-28 Sep 1932)
Chief of the 1st Minesweeper-Half-Flotilla (29 Sep 1932-29 Sep 1934)
Admiral-Staff-Officer in the Staff of the Naval-Station of the Baltic Sea (30 Sep 1934-24 Apr 1937)
Placed to the Disposal of the Leader of Minesweepers (25 Apr 1937-31 May 1937)
Leader Of Minesweepers (01 Jun 1937-31 Aug 1939)
Leader Of Minesweepers East (01 Sep 1939-14 Oct 1939)
Leader Of Minesweepers West; At the same time, in April 1940 was Leader of Warship-Group 10 with Operation ‘Weserübung’ (15 Oct 1939-16 Feb 1941)
Commander Of Security West (17 Feb 1941-21 May 1943)
At the same time, Chief of Special-Staff Tunisia with the Royal Italian Navy (Supermarina) (12 Mar 1943-21 May 1943)
Commander of the German Naval-Command Italy (22 May 1943-12 Aug 1943)
Führer-Reserve OKM (13 Aug 1943-09 Nov 1943)
Admiral with Special Duties with Army-Group B (10 Nov 1943-05 Aug 1944)
Placed to the Disposal of the Commander-in-Chief of the Kriegsmarine (06 Aug 1944-31 Oct 1944)
Chief of the Warship-Construction Office, OKM (01 Nov 1944-09 May 1945)
In Captivity (09 May 1945-30 Nov 1946)
Released (30 Nov 1946)
Member of the Naval Historical Team in Bremerhaven (1949-1952)
Entered the Bundeswehr (Navy) as Department-Leader Navy in the Federal Ministry for Defence (05 Mar 1956-31 May 1957)
Inspector of Navy in the Federal Ministry for Defence (01 Jun 1957-30 Sep 1961)
Retired (30 Sep 1961)

Decorations & Awards:
- Ritterkreuz (38): am 21.10.1941 als Kapitän zur See und Kommodore und Führer der Minensuchboote West
- EK I: 02.03.1918
- EK II: 26.08.1917
- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung IV. bis I. Klasse
- Deutsche Olympia-Ehrenzeichen II. Klasse: 21.12.1936
- Spange zum EK I: 02.10.1939
- Spange zum EK II: 17.09.1939
- Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 01.10.1938
- Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boots-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände: 15.02.1940
- Wehrmachtbericht: 16.02.1942
- Italien. Orden der Krone: 00.00.1960
- “US Legion of Merit”, Kommandeurkreuz: 00.00.1961
- Grosses Verdienstkreuz des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland: 28.09.1961


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