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 Born 31 October 1911 in Bad Osdesloed was in Naval Class 1936.  When the war began, he was serving at the U-Bootschüll in Neustadt.  He was then posted to U-99 under OTTO KRETSCHMER (122-+-1985) where he served as I.W.O. for several patrols.  He was a highly capable officer and KRETSCHMER recommended him for Commander Training and ultimately, for command of his own boat.

In conversations I had with KRETSCHMER, he had the highest praise for the skill and courage of BARGSTEN.

        

BARGSTEN put U-563 into commission in March of 1940 and during the battle against Convoy HG.75, he sank a freighter and unsuccessfully attacked a Royal Navy destroyer.  Some hours later, a second attack against HMS COSSACK was successful, and BARGSTEN sank the destroyer.

In June of 1942, BARGSTEN commissioned U-521 and during his various patrols, had good successes and on 30 April 1943, was decorated with the Knights Cross.

Only a month and a half later, U-521 was sunk off the American east coast on 2 June by the US Navy sub-chaser PC-565.  BARGSTEN was the only survivor and when he was struggling in the water, RAY LANKHEIM (321-1987) had his 20mm trained on this lone survivor and the crew was under orders to 'kill them all' but LANKHEIM could not bring himself to shoot this lone man in the cold water, and so BARGSTEN survived the war.

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