50.63777778, 9.39444444
Ernst Hechler (21 November 1907 – 23 October 1965) was a German bomber pilot and U-boat commander in World War II. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross of Nazi Germany. Hechler is credited with the sinking of four ships for a total of 13,804 gross register tons (GRT), and with damaging one destroyer escort.
Hechler joined the Reichsmarine (navy of the Weimar Republic) in 1928. After a period of training on surface vessels he transferred to the Luftwaffe (air force) in 1935. During World War II he flew 65 combat missions as a bomber pilot, the majority of which were in mine-laying operations. Following his voluntary transfer back to the Kriegsmarine in 1943 he took command of German submarine U-870 in 1944 which he took on one war patrol. He claimed to have sunk five ships for a total of 15,069 GRT. These claims were acknowledged by the presentation of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.