Konyakhin, Alexander Romanovich

Alexander Konyakhin was born on August 24, 1921 at the Zykovo farm (now the Orenburg district of the Orenburg region ). He graduated from seven classes of high school, studied at a teacher training college. He worked first as a teacher, then as head of an elementary school. In 1940, Konyakhin was called up for service in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army . In 1942, he graduated from the Kazan Tank School. Since September 1943 - on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. He took part in the battles on the Voronezh , Stepnoy and 1st Ukrainian fronts. He participated in the Battle of Kursk , the liberation of the Ukrainian SSR , Romania , Hungary , and was wounded three times ^[1] .

By October 1943, the Guard, Lieutenant Alexander Konyakhin, commanded a platoon of T-34 tanks of the 306th tank battalion of the 53rd Guards Tank Brigade of the 6th Guards Tank Corps of the 3rd Guards Tank Army of the Voronezh Front. He distinguished himself during the battle of the Dnieper . During the battles at the Bukrinsky bridgehead, the Konyakhin tank was hit, but he, having moved to another tank, continued to fight. In that battle, he and the crew destroyed about 100 soldiers and officers. In an unequal battle, the second Konyakhin tank was also shot down. Left to cover his comrades, Konyakhin fought to the last and was captured. In their part, he was considered dead ^[1] .

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 3, 1944, for “courage and heroism shown in battles with German troops” of the Guard, Lieutenant Alexander Konyakhin was posthumously awarded the high rank of Hero of the Soviet Union . After his release from the German prisoner of war camp and verification, he was awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal number 5276 ^[1] .

In 1946, with the rank of captain, Konyakhin was transferred to the reserve. He lived in Moscow , worked at a factory. He died on May 29, 2004, was buried at the Vvedensky cemetery in Moscow ^[1] .

He was also awarded three orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 2nd degree, 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.
• Heroes-liberators of Cherkasy. - Dnepropetrovsk: Promin, 1980.
• Rossovsky V.P. Golden Stars of the Orenburg Region: A Biographical Reference . - Chelyabinsk: South Ural Book Publishing House, 1989. - 508 p.