Benberin, Vasily Mitrofanovich

Vasily Benberin was born on May 9, 1918 in the village of Bogoslovka (now the Sandyktau district of the Akmola region of Kazakhstan ) into a peasant family. After graduating from high school and school factory apprenticeship at the motor depot of the Kokchetav point "Zagozerno" worked as a driver. In the autumn of 1938 he was called up for service in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. He served first in the cavalry in Novgorod Volynsky, (Ukraine). By the autumn of 1939, he participated in the liberation of Western Ukraine and Western Belarus. In the winter of 1939-40 he fought in Finland. After the Finnish company he served in the Far East in the city of Voroshilov. In November 1941, in the rifle division No. 239 under the command of SS. Martirosyan urgently transferred under Moscow. Participated in the battles of Moscow. Broke through the blockade of Leningrad. In February 1944, Benberin graduated from the Oryol Tank School , after which he was sent to the 1st Guards Tank Red Banner Army. In the same year joined the VKP (b) . By January 1945, Guards Lieutenant Vasily Benberin was the commander of a tank and tank platoon of the 44th Guards Tank Brigade of the 11th Guards Tank Corps of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the 1st Belorussian Front . Distinguished during the liberation of Poland ^[1] .

Being a member of the vanguard, Benberin's tank managed to make its way to the Pilica River, destroy the enemy’s escort from the approaches to the river, and then reach the southern bank of the river. Acting as a member of the guard company, Lieutenant Alexander Orlikov, Benberin was one of the first to cross the river north of the town of Nove-Miasto and, having captured the bridgehead , held him until the main forces of the brigade approached. During the fighting near the town of Lovech, a platoon of senior lieutenant Konstantin Nikonov , in which Benberin was also a member, with a group of shooters and a squadron of sappers, approached the bridge over the Bzura river, which divided Lovech into two parts. After that, tank forces broke into the city. Tank Benberin was sent by Nikonov with the task to seize the railway station, which was successfully performed by the crew ^[1] .

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 27, 1945, for the “courage, bravery and heroism shown in the fight against the German fascist invaders” of the guard, junior lieutenant Vasily Benberin was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for number 6696 ^[1] .

In 1945, Benberin was fired. He lived in the city of Alma-Ata . He died on January 23, 2005 in the city of Almaty ^[1] .

He was also awarded the Order of the Patriotic War , 1st degree, as well as a number of medals ^[1] .

In Almaty, the memory of the Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Benberin is immortalized. A memorial plaque to the participant of the Great Patriotic War was installed on the facade of the house where he lived for the last 20 years ^[2]

At the end of 2016. one of the streets of the microdistrict of Almaty was named (renamed) in honor of the veteran of the Great Patriotic War, the hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Benberin ^[3]

• Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. College I. Shkadov . - Moscow : Military Publishing , 1987. - T. 1 / Abaev - Lyubichev /. - 911 s. - 100 000 copies - ISBN SEC., Reg. Number in the PSC 87-95382.
• Getman A. L. Tanks go to Berlin. 2nd ed., Rev. and add. M., 1982.