Gritsenko, Mikhail Illarionovich

Mikhail Gritsenko was born on November 12, 1906 in the village of Pokrovskaya Bogachka (now the Khorolsky district of the Poltava province in a peasant family. He graduated from high school, worked as a carpenter. In 1928, Gritsenko was called up to serve in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army . In 1931, he graduated from Kiev Infantry School. Participated in the Polish campaign of the Red Army. From July 1941 - on the fronts of World War II. He graduated from the Higher Officer Artillery School in 1943. Participated in battles in the South-West , North Caucasus , 2nd and 3rd Ukrainian fronts. was wounded twice, and by October 1944, Lieutenant Colonel Mikhail Gritsenko commanded the 109th anti-tank artillery regiment of the 7th mechanized corps of the 2nd Ukrainian Front and distinguished himself during the liberation of Hungary ^[1] .

In the first days of hostilities, the regiment of Gritsenko repelled 15 German tank counterattacks, destroying 7 tanks , 5 guns, 1 mortar battery, 15 machine guns , 4 armored personnel carriers , several vehicles and more than 400 enemy soldiers and officers. When the gunner of one of the guns of his regiment died, Gritsenko himself got up to the gun and knocked out 2 tanks. The enemy was forced to retreat, throwing a large amount of equipment, killed and wounded, in front of the positions of the regiment. On October 8, 1944, during the battle for the city of Kishuysallash, Gritsenko with two scouts made his way into the city occupied by the enemy and at the airport personally shot down a German fighter from a light machine gun. To the north of Szekesfehervar , when the enemy launched a series of powerful counterattacks, the regiment of Gritsenko repelled them all, destroying 24 tanks, 4 of which were personally destroyed by the regiment commander ^[1] .

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 24, 1945, for “exemplary command of the regiment and personal courage and heroism shown at the same time”, Lt. Col. Mikhail Gritsenko was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal number 7209 ^[1] .

After the war, Gritsenko continued to serve in the Soviet Army. In 1954, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he was transferred to the reserve. He lived in the city of Armavir, Krasnodar Territory . He died on November 21, 1980, was buried in the city cemetery of Armavir ^[1] .

He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner , the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, the Order of the Red Star , as well as a number of medals ^[1] .

In honor of Hrytsenko, the street in Pokrovskaya Bogachka was named ^[1] .

• 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.
• For courage and courage. - Kharkov, 1984.