Kushner, Mikhail Ivanovich

Born on November 21, 1906 in the village of Slobodskaya, Ishimsky district, Tyumen region, in a peasant family. He began his career in 1921 as a traveling worker at the Limanskaya station of the Sverdlovsk railway. In 1928-1933 he served in the Red Army , in the 129th Rifle Regiment, which was stationed in the city of Velikiye Luki.

After the service he stayed to live in Velikiye Luki. He worked as a fireman in a locomotive depot, then as an assistant driver, and since September 1938, after completing courses at the Velikoluksky Railway College, he independently led trains. He worked as a locomotive driver in the Ostashkov depot.

In World War II he continued to work as a steam locomotive engineer at front-line stations. In the early days of the war, he drove rolling stock to the rear stations. Subsequently, he drove convoys with ammunition, military equipment, food and other cargo, as well as ambulances in the front line. When the enemy managed to damage the details of the steam locomotive or the wagons during air raids and shelling, the brigade eliminated them on its own and brought the trains to the destination station. Kushner carefully calculated the risks, but did not throw trains on the stages.

He received baptism of fire on the 10th day of the war. The composition with liquid tanks, which was led by his team, fell under the bombing. One of the tanks caught fire. Kouchner was able to remove the composition from under the fire, extinguished the flames at the risk of his life, eliminated the malfunctions and brought the train to Great Onions. In mid-August 1941, the cylindrical part of the steam boiler was damaged by machine-gun fire of an enemy aircraft, and water began to flow out through the hole. According to the rules, in such cases, the engine had to be put out, but then the stage would have to be closed for several hours until the train exits the auxiliary locomotive. Kushner, having weighed all the pros and cons, took a chance: he brought the train to the station and only put out the engine on it.

In October 1943, he led a letter train from Ostashkov to Toropets station, with special cargo — shells for Katyushas. Several times removed the composition from under the bombing. When the brake line was broken at the tail of the train, Kushner, under enemy fire, crept into the tail of the train, repaired the damage, and returned to the locomotive and continued to move. The cargo was saved and safely delivered to its destination. Following back with the ambulance train, being wounded, he still managed to withdraw the train from under the enemy bombing, saving the lives of the wounded soldiers. Already at the station, Ostashkov, having stopped the train, lost consciousness from the loss of blood. In the hospital I learned about the assignment of a high rank.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 5, 1943 "for special merits in providing transportation for the front and the national economy and outstanding achievements in restoring the railway industry in difficult wartime conditions" Mikhail Ivanovich Kushner was awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Golden Sickle and Hammer medals.

During the war, engineer Kushner replaced 15 locomotives broken by shells and bombs, was wounded and shell-shocked several times.

In the postwar period, he worked as a machinist in the locomotive depot Velikiye Luki. The senior engineer, later - traffic safety inspector, gave all his strength and energy to the restoration of railway transport. In 1951 he was awarded the medal "For Valiant Labor", in 1953 - the Order of the Red Banner of Labor . In 1966 he retired.

He lived in the city of Velikiye Luki. He died on December 25, 1986. Buried in Velikiye Luki .

He was awarded the orders of Lenin , the Red Banner of Labor , and medals.

• Heroes of steel highways. - M., 2004. - Prince. 3
• Heroes of labor of the war years 1941-1945. - M., 2001.

Mikhail Ivanovich Kushner (Russian) . The site " Heroes of the country ." The appeal date is July 9, 2014.