Vasily Mitrofanov
Vasily Andreyevich Mitrofanov | |
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![]() Mitrofanov c. 1945 | |
Born | 29 January [O.S. 16 January] 1899 Petrakovo, Vladimirsky Uyezd, Vladimir Governorate, Russian Empire |
Died | 25 August 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union | (aged 71)
Buried | |
Allegiance |
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Service/ | Red Army (later Soviet Army) |
Years of service | 1918–1959 |
Rank | Lieutenant general |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars |
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Awards |
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Vasily Andreyevich Mitrofanov (Russian: Васи́лий Андре́евич Митрофа́нов; 29 January [O.S. 16 January] 1899 – 25 August 1970) was a Soviet Army lieutenant general and Hero of the Soviet Union.
Mitrofanov joined the
Early life and Russian Civil War
Mitrofanov was born on 29 January 1899 to a peasant family of Russian ethnicity in the village of Petrakovo, Vladimir Governorate (now Sobinsky District, Vladimir Oblast). His parents brought him to Ryazan when they moved there in his childhood, and Mitrofanov was raised there by his grandfather, a railwayman, after the death of his father. He graduated from a gymnasium school in 1917.[1][2][3] After joining the Red Army in September 1918 during the Russian Civil War, he became a Red Army man and assistant platoon commander in the 2nd Railway Defense and Security Regiment. He became a copyist on the staff of the 313th Rifle Regiment in April 1919 and in September transferred to serve as a clerk in the 304th Rifle Regiment. He continued to serve in that position at the headquarters of the Chief of Defense of the 4th District of the Moscow–Kazan Railway and then the 607th Western Field Hospital from April 1920 before returning to service as a Red Army man in the commandant's detachment of the 3rd Department of the Military Tribunal in April 1921. During the war, he participated in fighting on the Southern Front.[4]
Interwar period
Mitrofanov began studies at the 80th Infantry and Machine Gun Commanders' Courses in September 1921, and was transferred to the 27th Ivano-Voznesensk Infantry School, from which he graduated in September 1924. Sent to serve on the
Mitrofanov was sent to study at the
World War II
After
He was selected to be chief of staff of the
Appointed commander of the
Hero of the Soviet Union citation
During the operations of the army to take the city of Berlin from 16 April 1945, Comrade Mitrofanov, commanding the corps, proved himself to be a bold and decisive general. Constantly with the combat units of the corps, Comrade Mitrofanov boldly led the corps forward to capture the capital of Germany, the city of Berlin. The units of the corps, led by Comrade Mitrofanov, broke through the strongly fortified and deeply echeloned German defenses on the Neisse river, forced the Spree river, and rapidly advanced, breaking through the strongly fortified defensive lines on the approaches to Berlin, capturing the cities of Vetschau, Lübbenau, Golssen, Baruth, and Zossen. On 22 April 1945, [they] captured the [following] strongly defended enemy-held [fortified] points on the approaches to Berlin: Teltow, forced [the] Teltow canal, and burst into the city of Berlin from the south. Waging heavy street battles, elements of the corps inflicted heavy losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy and captured the following districts of the city of Berlin: Lichterfelde, Dahlem, Schmargendorf, and reached Wilmersdorf. For [his] skillful and courageous leadership and the successful combat operations of the units of the corps upon entering the capital of Germany, the city of Berlin, inflicting heavy losses in manpower and equipment on the enemy, for courage and heroism displayed in the fighting, Comrade Mitrofanov [is] worthy of the title Hero of the Soviet Union with presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star Medal. [8]
Postwar
After the end of the war, in May 1946, Mitrofanov, who had been promoted to lieutenant general on 27 June 1945,
Awards and honors
Mitrofanov was a recipient of the following decorations:[4]
- Soviet Union
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Hero of the Soviet Union |
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Order of Lenin, thrice |
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Order of the Red Banner, four times |
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Order of Suvorov, 1st class |
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Order of Suvorov, 2nd class |
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Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky, 2nd class |
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Medal "For Battle Merit" |
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Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad" |
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Medal "For the Liberation of Prague" |
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Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (1945) |
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Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1945) |
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Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army" (1938) |
- Foreign
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War Cross 1939–1945, twice (Czechoslovakia) |
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Distinguished Service Medal of the National People's Army, Bronze (East Germany) |
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Order of the Cross of Grunwald, 1st class (Poland) |
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Knight of the Virtuti Militari (Poland) |
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Medal "For Oder, Neisse and the Baltic" (Poland)
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Medal of Victory and Freedom 1945 (Poland) |
References
Citations
- ^ a b Shkadov 1988, p. 89.
- ^ a b "Vasily Mitrofanov". Герои страны ("Heroes of the Country") (in Russian). Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ "Митрофанов Василий Андреевич" [Mitrofanov, Vasily Andreyevich] (in Russian). Vladimir Regional Library. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Vozhakin 2006, pp. 151–153.
- ^ Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union 1964, p. 72.
- ^ Shein 2007, p. 98.
- ^ Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union 1964, p. 79.
- ^ "Митрофанов Василий Андреевич, Герой Советского Союза (Орден Ленина и медаль "Золотая звезда")" [Mitrofanov, Vasily Andreyevich, Hero of the Soviet Union (Order of Lenin and Gold Star Medal)]. Pamyat Naroda (in Russian). Central Archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
Bibliography
- Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union (1964). Командование корпусного и дивизионного звена советских вооруженных сил периода Великой Отечественной войны 1941 – 1945 гг [Commanders of Corps and Divisions in the Great Patriotic War, 1941–1945] (in Russian). Moscow: Frunze Military Academy. OCLC 35371247.
- Shein, Dmitry (2007). Танки ведет Рыбалко. Боевой путь 3-й Гвардейской танковой армии [Rybalko's Tanks Lead: Combat Path of the 3rd Guards Tank Army]. Красная армия. Элитные войска [Red Army Elite Troops] (in Russian). Moscow: Yauza/Eksmo. ISBN 978-5-699-20010-8.
- Shkadov, Ivan, ed. (1988). Герои Советского Союза: краткий биографический словарь [Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary] (in Russian). Vol. 2. Moscow: Voenizdat. ISBN 5203005362.
- Vozhakin, Mikhail Georgievich, ed. (2006). Великая Отечественная. Комкоры. Военный биографический словарь [Great Patriotic War: Corps Commanders: Military Biographical Dictionary] (in Russian). Vol. 2. Moscow: Kuchkovo Pole. ISBN 5901679083.