Soviet General. He joined the Red Army at the age of 18, gaining promotion as commander of a combat battalion. In 1937 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy, a highly acclaimed institution for training military staff officers. Following graduation he was appointed chief of staff of a Russian rifle division and two years later was promoted to Chief of Operations for the Kharkov Military District. In August 1939 he was appointed as the commanding officer of the 132nd Rifle Division, leading his unit in fighting along the Southwestern and Bryansk fronts until 1942. He suffered serious wounds on five separate occasions during the year following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. In 1942 he was promoted to Chief of Staff of the 48th Army and later in the year was appointed Chief of Staff of the 2nd Guards Army. He was a major participant in the battle of Stalingrad helping to defeat the German 6th Army. In 1943 he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Southern Front, assisting General Fyodor Tolbukhin in defense of the Ukraine. In October 1944 he was assigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front as commander of the 37th Red Army. Together with Tolbukhin, he was successful in helping to drive the German armies from the Ukraine and assisted in the successful planning and invasion of the Balkans. In March 1955 he was awarded the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and in April 1962 was appointed as Commander in Chief of the National Air Defense Force and as Commander in Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces. The following year he received his final promotion as Chief of the General Staff. He was killed October 1964 in a plane crash near the City of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
Soviet General. He joined the Red Army at the age of 18, gaining promotion as commander of a combat battalion. In 1937 he graduated from the Frunze Military Academy, a highly acclaimed institution for training military staff officers. Following graduation he was appointed chief of staff of a Russian rifle division and two years later was promoted to Chief of Operations for the Kharkov Military District. In August 1939 he was appointed as the commanding officer of the 132nd Rifle Division, leading his unit in fighting along the Southwestern and Bryansk fronts until 1942. He suffered serious wounds on five separate occasions during the year following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941. In 1942 he was promoted to Chief of Staff of the 48th Army and later in the year was appointed Chief of Staff of the 2nd Guards Army. He was a major participant in the battle of Stalingrad helping to defeat the German 6th Army. In 1943 he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Southern Front, assisting General Fyodor Tolbukhin in defense of the Ukraine. In October 1944 he was assigned to the 3rd Ukrainian Front as commander of the 37th Red Army. Together with Tolbukhin, he was successful in helping to drive the German armies from the Ukraine and assisted in the successful planning and invasion of the Balkans. In March 1955 he was awarded the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union and in April 1962 was appointed as Commander in Chief of the National Air Defense Force and as Commander in Chief of the Strategic Missile Forces. The following year he received his final promotion as Chief of the General Staff. He was killed October 1964 in a plane crash near the City of Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.
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