"Kapitänleutnant" Hans von Mellenthin was assigned to the boat in late August 1916, and led the boat in sinking 19 ships () over the next 8½ months.In April 1917, von Mellenthin was replaced by "Oberleutnant zur See" Horst Obermüller who commanded the ship for the next three months, sinking three more ships () and damaging the British cruiser .