Gurenko, Dmitry Grigoryevich

Dmitry Gurenko was born on October 21, 1906 in the village of Lebyazhye (now the Chuguevsky district of the Kharkiv region of Ukraine ) in a working family. In 1930 he graduated from the Poltava Agricultural Institute. In 1930-1932 , he served in the Red Army of the Workers' and Peasants ; in 1931 he graduated from anti-aircraft artillery courses in Smolensk . After demobilization, he worked as a livestock specialist. In 1939, Gurenko was re-drafted into the army. In 1940, he graduated from advanced training courses for command personnel of anti-aircraft artillery. Since June 1941 - on the fronts of World War II. By January 1945, Major Dmitry Gurenko commanded the 369th Guards Self-propelled Artillery Regiment of the 9th Guards Tank Corps of the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the 1st Belorussian Front . Particularly distinguished during the liberation of Poland ^[1] .

Between January 14 and February 3, 1945, the SU-85 self-propelled artillery regiment under the command of Gurenko acted in conjunction with the 47th Guards Tank Brigade. By a roundabout maneuver, the regiment crossed the Pilitsa River in the area of ​​the settlement of Michalów southwest of the city of Varka and captured a bridge over it, thereby providing a crossing for tank and mechanized units. Three hours later, the regiment reached Zhirarduva . On January 16, 1945, Gurenko was the first to break into the city, destroying 4 anti-tank guns with caterpillars. Having reached the southern outskirts of Sokhachev , the Gurenko regiment captured the enemy airfield with three serviceable aircraft. When during the battles in Sohachev one of the batteries of his regiment was surrounded, Gurenko promptly came to the rescue, breaking through the encirclement. During this period, the Gurenko regiment destroyed 5 tanks and self-propelled artillery , 13 anti-tank and 90 field guns, 265 vehicles, 35 armored personnel carriers, 1 artillery battery, 2 hangars, 200 railway cars, 350 wagons, 7 steam locomotives, 4 bunkers . A large number of enemy soldiers and officers were captured, and large military trophies were also captured ^[2] .

By 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 battle against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown” of the guard, Major Dmitry Gurenko was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Medal The Star ” ^[2] .

Subsequently, the Gurenko regiment participated in the crossing of the Oder ^[3] . After the war ended in 1946, with the rank of lieutenant colonel Gurenko was transferred to the reserve. He lived in Kiev . He died on October 6, 1969 ^[1] .

He was also awarded two orders of the Red Banner , orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st and 2nd degrees, as well as a number of medals ^[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.
• Plyaskov G. D. Under the roar of the cannonade.

Anton Bocharov. Gurenko, Dmitry Grigorievich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ". Date of treatment March 14, 2016.

• 369th Guards Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment