Vasily Fedorovich Martekhov (April 1, 1917 — July 12, 1943) is a Hero of the Soviet Union, a top gun of the Soviet Armored Forces, commanding officer of a battle tank unit within the 27th separate tank brigade which deserved its title ‘Guards’. 14 Nazi battle tanks were destroyed under his command between the outbreak of war and the offensive operation of the Soviet troops at Kursk.
Martekhov was born into the family of Russian returnees who, at the close of the Civil War, in 1921, came back to the Soviet Union. The family first settled in Byelorussia and later, in 1939, moved to Alma-Ata. Vasily Fedorovich had been serving in the Soviet Armed Forces since 1939, as he was doing his draft military service and later getting his professional military education. In 1941, he graduated from the Guards armor school in Kharkov, holding the rank of Lieutenant.
Martekhov was consistently fighting in armored task forces that first penetrated the enemy frontage. On November 19, 1942, his company broke through the enemy defensive screen at the start of the Stalingrad strategic offensive under the code name Uran. His battle tank was also first in confrontation with the Nazis in the early winter of 1943, as his army was breaking through towards the tank units of the 62nd Army.
Vasily commanded battle tank sections in armored operations and battles at the Kursk Salient attacking the enemy in the vicinity of Belgorod. In July 1943, his tank crew was holding German troops over a period of 7 days. In the course of a fierce defense against the attacking Germans in Shebekino dictrict in Belgorod region, Lt. Martekhov and his men destroyed 3 German battle tanks, 6 SP guns, 3 mortars, 8 pieces of artillery and 300 German invaders of various army ranks.
Lt. Martekhov and his tank crew were killed in action in the vicinity of Nizhny Olshanets. The Germans blew up his tank, which stayed in a no-man’s land as it had been damaged in action the day before. His body was laid to rest in the village of Voznesenovka (Shebekino municipal district) in Belgorod region in one of communal graves. Lt. Martekhov’s personal kill score was equal to 14 enemy tanks, 22 pieces of artillery, 19 mortars, 16 wheeled vehicles, 7 MG crews and more than 800 invaders.
In October 1943, Vasily Fedorovich Martekhov was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union by the Supreme Organ of State Power of the USSR for tactical missions’ accomplishment in the struggle with German fascists.
Martekhov was born into the family of Russian returnees who, at the close of the Civil War, in 1921, came back to the Soviet Union. The family first settled in Byelorussia and later, in 1939, moved to Alma-Ata. Vasily Fedorovich had been serving in the Soviet Armed Forces since 1939, as he was doing his draft military service and later getting his professional military education. In 1941, he graduated from the Guards armor school in Kharkov, holding the rank of Lieutenant.
Martekhov was consistently fighting in armored task forces that first penetrated the enemy frontage. On November 19, 1942, his company broke through the enemy defensive screen at the start of the Stalingrad strategic offensive under the code name Uran. His battle tank was also first in confrontation with the Nazis in the early winter of 1943, as his army was breaking through towards the tank units of the 62nd Army.
Vasily commanded battle tank sections in armored operations and battles at the Kursk Salient attacking the enemy in the vicinity of Belgorod. In July 1943, his tank crew was holding German troops over a period of 7 days. In the course of a fierce defense against the attacking Germans in Shebekino dictrict in Belgorod region, Lt. Martekhov and his men destroyed 3 German battle tanks, 6 SP guns, 3 mortars, 8 pieces of artillery and 300 German invaders of various army ranks.
Lt. Martekhov and his tank crew were killed in action in the vicinity of Nizhny Olshanets. The Germans blew up his tank, which stayed in a no-man’s land as it had been damaged in action the day before. His body was laid to rest in the village of Voznesenovka (Shebekino municipal district) in Belgorod region in one of communal graves. Lt. Martekhov’s personal kill score was equal to 14 enemy tanks, 22 pieces of artillery, 19 mortars, 16 wheeled vehicles, 7 MG crews and more than 800 invaders.
In October 1943, Vasily Fedorovich Martekhov was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union by the Supreme Organ of State Power of the USSR for tactical missions’ accomplishment in the struggle with German fascists.
