Born on the 21st. of October 1909 in Berga, Kyffhausser. Was Captain of two U-Boats, U-48 and U-109. He became the third to captain the most successful of all WW2 German submarines, U-48. On his first venture at sea, Heinrich sank eight ships which included the 11,081 ton City of Benares. He followed this up with another successful patrol, accounting for a further seven ships, this time the largest, the 10,000 ton Port Gisborn.

He now moved his command to U-109, but had an uneventful first time out with her. His second patrol with this boat was better, he came into port flying five pennants for his five victims. Continued success followed off the east coast of the United States, and on his fifth patrol in U-109, he accounted for the Blue Star ship Tuscan Star, which was sailing from Liverpool via the Panama Canal to Melbourne, Australia, full of 11,000 tons of frozen meat.

Altogether, Heinrich Bleichrodt sank 28 ships to total 162,171 tons of Allied shipping.