Vilkov, Alexey Yakovlevich

Born on October 20, 1920 in the village of Samodurovka in the Elatoma district of the Tambov province (now the Pitelinsky district of the Ryazan region ). Education is incomplete secondary. In 1937 he moved to the city of Kolomna. He worked at the Kolomensky diesel locomotive plant as an electrician.

In October 1940 he was drafted into the Red Army . At the front in World War II from June 1941. He served as reconnaissance observer of the cannon-artillery regiment as part of the units of the Central, Bryansk and 1st Belorussian fronts. Knowing the German language well, after taking the prisoners, he interrogated them independently and handed over the prisoners to the regiment headquarters with a written certificate. Often served as a translator during interrogations.

In September 1943, the troops of the Bryansk Front reached the Sozh River and, having seized bridgeheads on its right bank, created favorable conditions for a further attack on the Gomel direction. Vilkov was among the first to participate in crossing the river; they were transported on hand-held means under massive enemy fire. For skillful actions in a combat situation, he was awarded the medal “For Courage”. Member of the CPSU / CPSU since 1943.

In November 1943, the left wing of the Belorussian Front developed an offensive in the Gomel-Bobruisk direction. The main blow was directed to the Rechitsa station with the subsequent exit to the rear of the enemy group. Vilkov suggested that the regiment commander conduct reconnaissance at this important railway junction. Using knowledge of the German language, knowing how to play the guitar and sing, Alexei Yakovlevich, disguised as a wandering artist, crossed the front line and penetrated the location of German troops. Having obtained valuable information, he returned to the location of the regiment.

On August 10, 1944, in battles in the area of ​​the settlement of Parchev Guard, Corporal Vilkov and two comrades were unexpectedly surrounded by the Nazis during reconnaissance. Vilkov threw two grenades toward the enemy and gave several bursts of machine gun. Rushing into the gap, all three jumped out of the enemy’s ring. Soon, from a new observation point, the radio operator transmitted the coordinates of the targets to the positions of his battery, adjusting its fire at enemy points. In this battle, Vilkov exterminated 10 opponents.

By order of the Guard on August 31, 1944, Corporal Alexei Yakovlevich Vilkov was awarded the Order of Glory of the 3rd degree.

The Vistula-Oder offensive operation began on January 12, 1945, the aim of which was to defeat the German-enemy Army Group Center, complete the liberation of Poland and create favorable conditions for a decisive strike on Berlin. Our advanced units on the move at hand at hand crossed the Vistula River, seized the bridgehead and led the battle for its expansion. Among the infantrymen were three artillerymen: reconnaissance and observer Vilkov, his platoon commander and radio operator. They tracked down enemy machine guns, guns, mortars, and the coordinates of the targets transferred to their firing positions. Gunners fired at the enemy from the Vistula.

On January 14-15, 1945, in battles on the left bank of the Vistula River, Vilkov, being on the front line, closest to the enemy, expertly searching for enemy firing points, put them on a map, and then our batteries fired at its coordinates. In the area of ​​the settlement of Sohachev of the Guard, Corporal Vilkov, being part of the advanced NP, advanced forward, secretly penetrated the enemy’s location and detonated the pillbox, destroying the opponents there. Then, finding a radio operator, Vilkov began to transmit to the battery the coordinates of the firing position of German mortars.

In late January - early February 1945, at the final stage of the Vistula-Oder operation, the troops of the 1st Belorussian Front captured the Kyustrinsky bridgehead on the western bank of the Oder River. Scout Vilkov was part of the first group of soldiers involved in the seizure of a bridgehead on the enemy shore. Soon several more groups of Soviet soldiers crossed over to expand it. In February, the enemy made repeated attempts to liquidate this bridgehead, but all of them were reflected with great losses for him.

By order of March 4, 1945, Corporal Alexei Yakovlevich Vilkov was awarded the Order of Glory of the 2nd degree.

In April 1945, when crossing the Spree River in the suburbs of Berlin, Keping Vilkov was in the battle formations of the first echelon of the advancing infantry. On April 23, being at the forward observation post, he discovered in one of the houses a large-caliber machine gun of the enemy, firing in the back of our infantry, and destroyed it with grenades.

From April 23 to 30, 1945, in the street battles for the city of Berlin, Vilkov, being ahead in the battle formations of the advancing infantry, eliminated more than 10 opponents, 8 captured, suppressed several firing points. On April 29, he saved a Soviet officer by shooting a Nazi who was aiming at him.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 15, 1945, for the exceptional courage, bravery and fearlessness shown in battles with enemy invaders, Guard Sergeant Vilkov Alexei Yakovlevich was awarded the Order of Glory of the 1st degree. He became the full holder of the Order of Glory.

After the war he continued to serve in the army. In 1946, the foreman Vilkov was demobilized. He returned to the city of Kolomna. He worked as a merchandiser at Kolomzavod, then, after completing driver courses, as a driver at city enterprises. He died on April 12, 1978. He was buried in the Old cemetery of the city of Kolomna .

He was awarded the orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, Glory of 3 degrees, medals.

Alexey Yakovlevich Vilkov (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ". Date of treatment September 1, 2014.

• The heroes of the land of Ryazan. Part 2. Bibliographic index. - Ryazan, 2010.
• Cavaliers of the Order of Glory of three degrees: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. collegium D. S. Sukhorukov . - M .: Military Publishing House , 2000 .-- 703 p. - 10,000 copies. - ISBN 5-203-01883-9 .