Ivanov, Ivan Tikhonovich

He was born in 1925 in the village of Klinskoye (now Brasov district, Bryansk region) in a working class family. Russian. From childhood, he lived in Makeevka, Donetsk region of Ukraine. In 1940 he graduated from 8 classes. He studied at a mining school in the city of Makeevka .

In the Red Army since September 1943. In the battles of World War II from October 1943.

The gunner of the 1050th Infantry Regiment (301st Infantry Division, 5th Strike Army, 1st Belorussian Front ) Komsomol member Junior Sergeant Ivan Ivanov distinguished himself on January 15, 1945 when crossing the Pilitsa River in the area of ​​the village of Palchev (9 kilometers south east of the city of Warka , Poland).

Infantrymen and artillerymen on the move began to force the Pilitsa River along the ice. But hurricane fire was fired from the enemy shore along the advancing units. Explosions of shells and mines broke ice. Our guns failed, soldiers died. The crossing of the river has stopped. The gun of Ivan Ivanov was already close to the shore of the enemy. With one jerk, the gunners reached land and set the gun on direct fire.

And now the one and only weapon is on the enemy shore. True, there were also infantrymen who rushed after the gunners. Smelchakov actively supported the artillery of our coast. However, the position of the gun crew Ivanov was very difficult. The Germans fired a mortar gun. They also tried to attack with infantry, but were pressed to the ground by the friendly fire of our fighters. Gunners Ivanov direct fire shot enemy fortifications, destroyed manpower. And then the tank moved towards the daredevils. The Germans, obviously, believed that one combat vehicle would cope with a handful of fighters. However, the 76-mm gun is not very scary “ tigers ”. The experience of dealing with them has already been. A few shots, and the tank caught fire.

Meanwhile, under the cover of a cannon, more and more reinforcements were crossing the river. The battalion confidently expanded the bridgehead. The enemy infantry launched a counterattack, but Ivanov’s calculation opened fire with buckshot, and the Nazis lay down again, waiting for their tanks to approach. And so up to a dozen cars moved to our battle formations. The gunners did not flinch this time either. With well-aimed fire, they managed to knock out two more enemy tanks.

Seven counterattacks were repulsed by fighters of the advanced group in one day only. The Nazis left three tanks and about 30 soldiers in front of Ivanov’s gun.

The next day the battle flared up with renewed vigor, but the advantage was already clearly on our side. German troops began a retreat in a northwest direction.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 27, 1945, for the exemplary performance of command missions at the front of the struggle against Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown to this, Junior Sergeant Ivan Tikhonovich was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal ”(No. 6704).

After the war, the brave gunner was demobilized from the Armed Forces of the USSR. He lived in the Donbass. He worked as a slaughterer at the mine of the Krasnogvardeyskugol trust, a master explosive. He died on May 29, 1976. He was buried in Makeevka, Donetsk region.

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, medals.

• Ivanov, Ivan Tikhonovich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".
• Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. collegium I. N. Shkadov . - M .: Military Publishing , 1987.- T. 1 / Abaev - Lyubichev /. - 911 p. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN comp., Reg. RCP No. 87-95382.