Gennady Obaturov
Gennady Ivanovich Obaturov | |
---|---|
Born | 10 January [O.S. 28 December 1914] 1915 Maloe Zarecheno, Vyatka Governorate, Russian Empire |
Died | 29 April 1996 (aged 81) Moscow, Russia |
Allegiance | Soviet Union |
Service/ | Red Army |
Years of service | 1935–1992 |
Rank | Army General |
Battles/wars | World War II Hungarian Revolution of 1956 Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia Sino-Vietnamese War |
Gennady Ivanovich Obaturov (
Childhood and youth
Born in a peasant family in the village of Maloe Zarecheno, then part of the Marakulinsky Volost in the Slobodsky Uyezd of Vyatsky Province, Russia. His father was mobilized in the army and died in 1916 on the battlefront during World War I. The family counted five children. Following their mother's death in the early 20s the elder children became responsible for the household and Gennady began working in the field at age 9. In 1930 finished the seven years school for peasant youth. In 1933 finished the Gorky Cooperative Technical School. Worked in Vyatka as production head of the town workers cooperative catering department.
Military service
Obaturov volunteered for
Obaturov graduated from the
World War II
Commissioned to the battlefront in May 1942 as armored brigade deputy head of staff in charge of operations. In the ranks of the
In November 1942 Obaturov was appointed deputy commander of an armored regiment in the
Following recovery was sent to the southern sector of the Soviet-German front. From October 1943 fought on the Southern, 3rd Ukrainian and 2nd Ukrainian Fronts as staff commander of the
In the spring of 1944 appointed commander of the same brigade and at its head liberated
Obaturov showed himself as a skilful tactical commander and a brave officer. During three years of fighting was decorated with seven orders for combat and the
Post-war service
In 1945 commanded a mechanized regiment, and later an independent armoured battalion. From December 1945 until June 1950 – commanded the 13th Guards Mechanized Regiment. In 1950 Graduated from the
Hungarian Revolt
Soon after the beginning of the Hungarian Revolt the division of General Obaturov was raised and received an order to cross the Hungarian border, march on Budapest and take under control the main state objects. By 24 October 1956, an advanced detachment of the division led by Obaturov entered Budapest. The division commander had not been briefed on the situation in the city; the units had received no maps whatsoever, and no officers knowing the city had been detached. The units drawing into the city were attacked from different sides, isolated from each other and suffered loss. In such conditions, Obaturov self-dependently decided to stop the execution of the operational task by ordering units to assume all-round defense. During heavy street fighting, he succeeded in restoring the connection between units. Then in agreement with the Imre Nagy government the soviet command withdrew soviet forces from Budapest and a few days later ordered the storming of the city. The division of Obaturov participated at full strength in this operation. During these operations, the division lost over 150 men, 13 tanks, 1 self-propelled artillery mounting, 9 armored personnel carriers. The division commander was decorated with the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class. In the same year, the division was incorporated into the newly formed Southern Group of Forces.
Service in the 60-70s
In 1957 completed the Higher Academic Courses of the Military Academy of the General Staff. From February 1958 commanded the
In May 1960 appointed commander of the
From July 1969 – acting commander, and from January 1970 – commander of the Carpathian Military District. Colonel-General (1970). From August 1973 – USSR Ministry of Defense First Deputy Inspector General.
Vietnam War and final years of service
In January 1979 Obaturov was commissioned to
From November 1982 – commander of the Frunze Military Academy. From 1985 – Military Inspector-Adviser on the Inspectors General Panel of the USSR Ministry of Defense. From 1992 – retired. Lived in Moscow. Obaturov was buried in the Troekurovskoe Cemetery.
Deputy of the Supreme Council of the USSR's 8th convocation (1970–1974). Twice elected as a deputy of the Supreme Council of Ukraine in the 1960s. Member of the All-Union Communist Party Bolsheviks since 1940. Was a member of the Communist Party of Ukraine Central Committee in the 1960-1970s.
Decorations
- Order of Zhukov (Russian Federation, decree of 7 November 1995)
- Two Orders of Lenin (? 8 January 1985)
- Order of the October Revolution (8.01.1975)
- Three Orders of the Red Banner
- Order of Suvorov 2nd Class
- Two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st Class
- Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class
- Three Orders of the Red Star
- Nineteen medals of the Soviet Union
- Four orders and twenty-two medals of foreign governments
Links and sources
http://www.generalarmy.ru (in Russian)
War encyclopedia in 8 volumes. М.:Military publishing house, 1994–2004. — V.6.