The Red Army comprised a number of large strategic military formations that performed strategic and tactical missions during the Great Patriotic War. The 1st Guards Tank Army, decorated with the Order of the Red Banner, was recognized among the most operationally capable armies. January 30, 1943, i.e. the 588th day of the war, became the turning point in the battle for Leningrad. That day the 1st Tank Army was organized by the military command. It was deployed at the Northwestern Front.
Mikhail Efimovich Katukov, Lieutenant General of the Armored Forces, was appointed the commander of the newly-born unit. He became famous for the major victory of the Soviet armored troops in the battle of Mtsensk. Nikolai Kirillovich Popel, a Major General, became a member of the Army Military Council; he authored a number of famous books on how Soviet armored forces fought against the Nazi Germany. Mikhail Alekseevich Shalin, a Major General in Intelligence, was named chief of staff of the new army.
In February 1943, the military formation was included in the strike group led by General Mikhail Semenovich Khozin. The group comprised a number of formations, i.e. separate motor transport, tank, mortar, motorcycle regiments and corps; a motorized engineering brigade, a mortar regiment; a mobile hospital; repair & restoration and float bridge battalions; an air defense artillery division, as well as other units.
In mid-spring of 1943, the formation was assigned to the Voronezh Front. The first significant victory was achieved in the Battle of Kursk, where the Nazi armored divisions known as Great Germany, Death’s-Head and Adolf Hitler were crushed.
Vladimir Alexandrovich Bochkovsky was born on June 28, 1923 in Tiraspol to a civil servant family. He completed 10 general school grades in Alupka, Crimea. He was called up for military service in the spring of 1941 and simultaneously he entered the Kharkov Tank School. On graduation, he was detailed to the Bryansk Front to lead a tank platoon. He took an active part in the Battle of Kursk, counterattacked the onslaught of up to 100 Nazi tanks. The Bochkovsky-led company destroyed 16 Nazi tanks, including 3 heavy Tigers. Bochkovsky personally knocked out 3 German tanks.
Valdemar Sergeevich Shalandin was born on December 12, 1924 in Moscow. The family moved to Tashkent where young Valdemar graduated from high school and was called up for service. He entered the Tashkent Tank School, which he graduated from in the winter of 1943. He was detailed to the Voronezh Front and entrusted to lead a tank platoon. He took part in the Battle of Kursk, set on fire two Tigers and one medium tank of the Nazis.
The commander’s tank was hit in the battle, but he decided to ram a Tiger and set it on fire. All the Soviet tank crew perished and was buried in the common grave at the village of Yakovlevo. A street in the city of Belgorod bears his name. The documents, photographs, personal belongings of the hero were handed over to the museum by his niece’s family.
Mikhail Efimovich Katukov, Lieutenant General of the Armored Forces, was appointed the commander of the newly-born unit. He became famous for the major victory of the Soviet armored troops in the battle of Mtsensk. Nikolai Kirillovich Popel, a Major General, became a member of the Army Military Council; he authored a number of famous books on how Soviet armored forces fought against the Nazi Germany. Mikhail Alekseevich Shalin, a Major General in Intelligence, was named chief of staff of the new army.
In February 1943, the military formation was included in the strike group led by General Mikhail Semenovich Khozin. The group comprised a number of formations, i.e. separate motor transport, tank, mortar, motorcycle regiments and corps; a motorized engineering brigade, a mortar regiment; a mobile hospital; repair & restoration and float bridge battalions; an air defense artillery division, as well as other units.
In mid-spring of 1943, the formation was assigned to the Voronezh Front. The first significant victory was achieved in the Battle of Kursk, where the Nazi armored divisions known as Great Germany, Death’s-Head and Adolf Hitler were crushed.
Vladimir Alexandrovich Bochkovsky was born on June 28, 1923 in Tiraspol to a civil servant family. He completed 10 general school grades in Alupka, Crimea. He was called up for military service in the spring of 1941 and simultaneously he entered the Kharkov Tank School. On graduation, he was detailed to the Bryansk Front to lead a tank platoon. He took an active part in the Battle of Kursk, counterattacked the onslaught of up to 100 Nazi tanks. The Bochkovsky-led company destroyed 16 Nazi tanks, including 3 heavy Tigers. Bochkovsky personally knocked out 3 German tanks.
Valdemar Sergeevich Shalandin was born on December 12, 1924 in Moscow. The family moved to Tashkent where young Valdemar graduated from high school and was called up for service. He entered the Tashkent Tank School, which he graduated from in the winter of 1943. He was detailed to the Voronezh Front and entrusted to lead a tank platoon. He took part in the Battle of Kursk, set on fire two Tigers and one medium tank of the Nazis.
The commander’s tank was hit in the battle, but he decided to ram a Tiger and set it on fire. All the Soviet tank crew perished and was buried in the common grave at the village of Yakovlevo. A street in the city of Belgorod bears his name. The documents, photographs, personal belongings of the hero were handed over to the museum by his niece’s family.
