Obolensky, Sergey Platonovich

The eldest son of Prince Platon Sergeyevich Obolensky-Neledinsky-Meletsky (1850-1913) and Maria Konstantinovna Naryshkina (1861-1929). After the death of his father wore the name Obolensky-Neledinsky-Meletsky . He studied at Oxford ^[2] .

At the beginning of World War I, he returned to Russia and entered the Cavalry Guard Regiment as an officer. For the differences at the front he was awarded three crosses of St. George . Participated in the Civil War , fought for three years in the White Army . After the end of the Civil War, he emigrated, in 1932 became an American citizen ^[2] . Here he had an affair with the ballerina and dancer Tilly Losh .

During the Second World War, he served in the Office of Strategic Services of the United States (OSS), rising to lieutenant colonel , and at the age of 53 years he became the oldest parachutist in the US Army. Prepared groups of NCT agents for uploading to France. He received an order for what, as part of the reconnaissance group, acting together with the French partisans , prevented the destruction of the power station, which the Germans had planned during the retreat. In September 1943, shortly after the overthrow of Mussolini , Obolensky, having landed in Sardinia with a detachment of three people, came into contact with General Basso, who commanded the Italian forces in Sardinia, and, passing him special messages from Eisenhower , the Italian king and Marshal Badoglio , persuaded him him go over to the side of the allies. The capture of Sardinia was regarded as one of the most impressive achievements of the OSS ^[3] .

In 1943, he turned out to be the oldest parachutist of the American army, since he made his first parachute jumps when he was 53 years old.

In 1958, he became vice chairman of the Hilton Hotels Corporation . Recent years he lived in a rich suburb of Detroit - Gross Point.

In 2008, after the death of the widow of Sergei Obolensky, in the Detroit gallery DuMouchelle the collection of objects of art belonging to him was put up for sale ^[4] .

There are several portraits of the prince, written by Savely Sorin . One - 1917 in military uniform is located in the Hillwood Museum ^[5] . The other one, depicting a prince walking with a cane against a background of a hedge, was written in 1929.

• In 1916, he married the morganatic daughter of Alexander II , the Most High Princess Ekaterina Yuryevskaya (1878-1959; divorced in 1924).
• In 1924, he married (1902-1956), the daughter of millionaire John Jacob Astor IV (divorced in 1932). From Ava Astor, Obolensky had two children — Ivan (born 1925), an American financial analyst, a leader of the emigre movement, and Sylvia (1931–1997). He worked in the hotel business, owned by the Astor family .
• In 1971, at the age of 80, married Marilyn Fraser Wall for the third time ( Eng. Marilyn Fraser Wall ; 1929–2007).

• Obolensky, Serge. One Man in His Time: The Memoirs of Serge Obolensky (New York. McDowell, Obolensky, Inc. 1958). 433 pp. with index.
• Kurilla, Ivan Ivanovich. Sworn friends: history of opinions, fantasies, contacts, mutual (non) understanding of Russia and the USA. - ISBN 9785444807187 , 5444807181.

• Description of the operation in Sardinia (eng.)
• Photo while serving in CSS
• Portrait of Obolensky, written by Savely Sorin