The central authorities advised the mayors of Latvian cities not to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the republic from the Nazi invaders.
Front-line soldiers, put on your medals!
In 1944, as a result of the strategic operation carried out by the Red Army, the cities of Jelgava and Dobele were liberated from Nazi troops on July 31, and Riga on October 13. October 24 is considered the day of liberation of all of Latvia. In the battles for the liberation of the republic, the USSR suffered very significant losses: 68 thousand were killed and 218 thousand were wounded. For bravery and courage in battle, 112 soldiers were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Three of them - twice. Of course, during the Soviet years, celebrations took place throughout Latvia. But now no one hangs state flags anymore. Getting rid of the brown plague is no longer a holiday.
Secret conspiracy against anti-fascists
So, at the official level, there are no plans to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the republic from the Nazi invaders in Latvia. Moreover, as “7 Secrets” learned, at a secret meeting of city mayors, the government categorically prohibited the leaders of local entities from holding any ceremonial events related to the Red Army. In turn, the heads of educational institutions received clear instructions: under no circumstances should they invite veterans of the Great Patriotic War to visit them. Otherwise they will say something else that the overseas owners will not like.
As a result, the celebrations were already disrupted. So, in Jelgava the authorities banned fireworks. Moreover, the traditional festive concert scheduled for August 31 in Victory Park was canceled. The city authorities unexpectedly scheduled a performance for the Latvian public on the same day. We had to postpone the ceremonial events to August 2. However, from all the poster stands in Jelgava, someone tore off the posters inviting residents to Victory Park... Against this background, it is gratifying that the Dobele authorities turned out to be more prudent. As a result, a rally was held and a concert took place in the school assembly hall.
Of course, the fact that there are quite a lot of Russian-speaking residents in the city played a role here. Poems dedicated to the Great Patriotic War were read from the stage of the assembly hall. The performances of the group “Russians”, as well as the songwriter, retired lieutenant colonel Eduard Vartanov, whose work is well known not only in Latvia, but also in Russia, went off with a bang. After the warm evening, people did not leave for a long time. So the holiday in Dobele can safely be called truly unique in modern times.
It is also important that wreaths and flowers were laid at the memorial monument to the soldier and partisans of the Great Patriotic War, including on behalf of the Russian Embassy. Friends from other regions of the republic, including Jelgava and Riga, arrived for the holiday. Russian guests also arrived - from St. Petersburg and Moscow. The celebration was also attended by co-chairman of the Union of Citizens and Non-citizens of Latvia Vladimir Sokolov, general director of the Riga experimental mechanical plant “Daugavgriva” Yakim Damotsev, lieutenant colonel “blockade survivor” Karlis Aprievsky, board member of the Society of Military Pensioners of Latvia Vladimir Motriy.
Pride of Latvia
And the chairman of the board of the Dobele Military Pensioners Society, Yuri Ilyich Zhidkov, also gave a big speech. According to him, there is an idea to hold even larger events next year in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory.
It must be said that the city of Dobele, located 80 km from Riga, is special. And not only because it is located almost in the center of Latvia. The fact is that in Soviet times, the largest in the Soviet Union (!) Dobele 24th Tank Training Division was stationed in its vicinity, in which, according to some sources, up to 10 thousand people served. It was considered the pride of both the Baltic Military District and the Latvian SSR. It trained junior commanders and specialists in 56 specialties for the USSR and the Warsaw Pact countries - tank crews, motorized riflemen, signalmen, sappers, motorists, etc.
On the territory of the Baltic Military District, exercises and maneuvers were often held for students of the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR named after K. E. Voroshilov, the Military Academy named after M. V. Frunze, for the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact countries. For many years, the division was commanded by Major General of Tank Forces Friedrich Segal, who left interesting memories of his service in the ranks of the Soviet army. In one of the photographs, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Latvia A.E. Voss presents the division with the challenge Red Banner of the Latvian SSR.
Over the years, the Dobele Division was visited by the first secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Parties of Lithuania and Estonia, as well as the first secretaries of the city and district party committees of Latvia. In the book of memoirs of General Segal there are frames depicting twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Commander-in-Chief of the combined armed forces of the Warsaw Pact states, Marshal I. I. Yakubovsky, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Marshal K. S. Moskalenko, Hero of the Soviet Union, Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces, Deputy Minister Defense of the USSR, Army General I. G. Pavlovsky, Artillery Marshal V. I. Kazakov and many others.
By the way, once in Dobele there was a T-34 tank on a pedestal in memory of those killed during the Great Patriotic War. But in the 90s, the monument was dismantled, after which the tank was sent to Russia along with Soviet troops. By the way, in a conversation with 7 Secrets, retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Tank Forces Yuri Zhidkov noted that the soldiers of the Dobele Division constantly helped Latvia harvest the crops. In addition, military specialists repaired agricultural equipment. Collective farmers and state farm workers were very grateful to them for such support.
15 heroes
“I myself come from the city of Dzerzhinsk, Gorky Region,” the 77-year-old veteran of the USSR Armed Forces said about himself. - In 1956 he was drafted into the army. He first served in the Far East. A year later he entered a military school in the Tashken region, which he graduated from in 1960. He spent four years in Hungary. Then I was transferred to the city of Gvardeysk, Kaliningrad region. In 1967 he arrived in Dobele. Promoted from platoon commander to division intelligence chief.
My last position was as head of the division's operations department. He served under the command of General Segal for 8 years. Of course, we became friends with him. Moreover, when he wrote the book “We are not occupiers,” I helped him collect various data. Then the copies were handed over to the President and Prime Minister of Latvia. The book quickly sold out. And although many colleagues have left, some still live in Dobele and Riga.
Previously, we had about 300 veterans of the Great Patriotic War, but now there are only 15 left... I note that units of the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps took part in the battles for the liberation of Dobele, including the 308th Latvian Rifle Division, which, by the way, was being formed in my native Gorky region - in the Gorokhovets camps. I note that the victory in Dobele came at a high price. The military grave contains the ashes of 8,178 Soviet soldiers of different nationalities. Among them are 15 Heroes of the Soviet Union.
Unfortunately, today - contrary to common sense and the protocols of the Nuremberg Tribunal! - those who fought on the side of the anti-Hitler coalition are considered occupiers. Of course, it is good to remember the dead by ensuring that their resting places are kept in perfect condition. But I think it is no less important to restore justice to those who, in spite of all the deaths, survived, but are now vegetating - reviled and slandered, including at the level of the official elite. How bitter it is to listen to unfair words addressed to you... - Yuri Ilyich complained.
Mart Dmitriev
During the Siauliai operation:
- 3rd Guards Tank Corps - Lieutenant General t/v Obukhov Viktor Timofeevich
- 35th Guards Tank Shavlinskaya Brigade - Major General t/v Aslanov Azi Agadovich
Making their way to the Gulf of Riga, the troops of the 51st Army expanded the breakthrough. 35th Guards Tank Brigade after the march to Siauliai by 12 o'clock on July 30 concentrated in the area of Sethe, Puri, Gludy located between Jelgava and Dobele. The brigade headquarters was located in the forest near Puri.
Soon intelligence and reports from local residents began to arrive at headquarters indicating that to the Dobele region A tank division was moving to reinforce the garrison, its arrival was expected on July 31. The commander of the 35th Guards Tank Brigade decided to forestall the enemy and occupy the city at night.
The 1st tank battalion, acting as the forward detachment of the brigade, acted in three company columns on Dobele. U Mezhnieki village The patrol noticed a group of enemy soldiers, knowing that there were no Soviet troops in the area, they mistook the Soviet tanks for their own and without resistance allowed them to approach them, so eighteen enemy soldiers were captured.
On the neighboring plot, near the villages of Duya and Striti, the soldiers of the tank company drove up to the buildings at sunset, seeing that the enemy artillerymen, who had also recently arrived here, had gone home for dinner, and left four anti-tank guns by the road. The tankers crushed the enemy guns and, without stopping, rushed to Dobele.
A tank platoon, operating even further to the left, entered to the village of Klienderi and began to go down to the river, where he saw up to two dozen enemy soldiers settling down for the night. The tankers fired at them with machine guns and, having crossed the river, moved on - to Dobele.
The brigade commander, having received a report on the actions of the 1st tank battalion, assigned the task to the motorized rifle battalion. Together with the mine engineering company and two self-propelled artillery batteries assigned to him, he was supposed to follow the 1st tank battalion in a forced march and, together with it, take possession of the Dobelevsky village, and in the future - northern part of the city of Dobele.
The remaining battalions of the brigade, as they approached the assembly area from the march, finished refueling the tanks with fuel and ammunition and also prepared for a night battle for Dobele.
The brigade's reconnaissance company captured the village of Shkibe. Moving on along the highway, near the bridge over the Berze River she was shot at. Having separated, scouts from different sides entered the city and determined that there were few enemy troops in it, therefore, the main forces of the tank division had not yet arrived.
The brigade headquarters, having received information about the enemy, organized a battle, the brigade commander decided to take Dobele a motorized rifle battalion, and at dawn bring tank battalions into battle.
The commander of the motorized rifle battalion, having received a reconnaissance report, secretly led the machine gunners to Dobelevsky village and attacked him. The enemy did not expect an organized night attack and, without accepting the battle, retreated to the railway, but was soon attacked there too. Machine gunners of a motorized rifle battalion, without stopping in village of Dobelevsky, have mastered railway station.
At dawn, tankers and artillerymen, identifying targets, began to destroy them. By morning, the enemy pulled up several tank and artillery units to the city and began to act more actively. But he did not know the actual location of Soviet tanks and guns. Maneuvering along the front at a short distance from them, the Nazis soon lost several guns and three tanks. After this, the enemy units retreated to the city.
The observation post of the commander of the 35th Guards Tank Brigade moved very close to the outskirts of the city before dawn, which made it possible to see the actions of the battalions and reliably control the battle.
The 2nd Tank Battalion went on the attack against the infantry that had accumulated near the city. Moving away on the outskirts of Dobele, the infantry stopped. Enemy resistance in the city increased, Nazi guns and infantry appeared at all intersections, and at the turpentine factory- and tanks.
One company of the motorized rifle battalion was sent to the church, and the other company to turpentine plant. When the machine gunners started a battle in these areas (and these areas were already behind enemy lines), the brigade commander ordered the tank battalions to speed up the penetration into the city and consolidate the success of the machine gunners. Tankers of the 1st battalion, having passed railway track north of the station, got involved in battle with the enemy, but were unable to move forward, the tanks turned around stations. The enemy was outflanked and, unable to withstand the firefight, retreated on Annenieki, pursued by the attackers.
By this time in the center of Dobele a lot of enemy infantry had accumulated. It was felt that she had lost contact with her command. The brigade commander brought his second echelon into battle - the 3rd tank battalion - to eliminate it.
The battalion deployed its companies in a line and went on the attack. The tankers fired cannons and machine guns on the move, destroying infantry. Several tanks were blown up by mines, but continued to fire from the spot. Following the companies, a repair shop arrived in the battle area. Repairers accelerated the restoration of combat vehicles. The 2nd tank company managed to break through to the church, helping machine gunners destroy the enemy entrenched there.
By 6 o'clock in the morning a group of enemy aircraft flew up to Dobele and tried to dive bomb Soviet tanks. The very first enemy plane that dived onto the tank was shot down by anti-aircraft machine gun fire, without having time to drop its bombs. Heavy fire from anti-aircraft machine guns forced enemy planes to gain altitude. And those who arrived in time to Dobele the planes of the 5th Guards Fighter Aviation Division drove them away from the battlefield altogether.
By 7 o'clock on July 31, 1944, the 35th Guards Tank Brigade liberated Dobele town.
For skillful combat operations and massive heroism shown during the liberation of Dobele, the 35th Guards Tank Brigade was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
The military brotherly cemetery is located in the city of Dobele in the park at the corner of Brivibas and Statjas streets. In 1956, a monument was erected in the center of the cemetery (authors: V. Albergs, L. Bukovskis, A. Terpilovskis).
There are 392 memorial plaques on the memorial walls and 9 tombstones with the names of Red Army soldiers are installed on the graves:
Military mass grave
Born November 29, 1929, Mt. Smolensk In 1948 he entered and in 1950 graduated “with honors” from the Kazan Military Aviation Technical School of Long-Range Aviation and was retained there as an operational cycle instructor. In 1952 he entered and in 1957 graduated from the Riga Military Aviation School of the Air Force. Voroshilov. In 1957 - 1958 was an engineer at the Long-Range Aviation squadron in the mountains. Khorol, Primorsky Krai. From January to October 1959, he was a student of the special 4th course (in rocket technology) at the Monino Air Force Academy. 30 people studied with me on the course, including captain N.A. Trunov, senior lieutenant V.E. Rushev and Bukhtiyarov.
In October, immediately after graduation, I was appointed commander of the 2nd division of the 867th missile regiment (military unit 23460, Dobele), where I arrived on October 17th.
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The deputy arrived to the post with me. regiment commander N.A. Trunov. Already there were: regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel V.D. Korunchikov, Deputy Lieutenant Colonel Popov, Chief of Staff Major K.I. Mayorov, chief engineer captain O.A. Stepanov. They arrived a little earlier: Senior Lieutenant V.E. took over the post of commander of the 1st division. Rushev and to the Bukhtiyarov delivery division. In the second division there were already: Chief of Staff Major D.A. Shcherbakov and political officer captain N.T. Timofeev. A week after graduating from the Engineering Academy. NOT. Zhukovsky, the commander of the starting battery, Senior Lieutenant L.N., arrived. Stolyarov and a group of young lieutenants who graduated from the Serpukhov Military Aviation Technical School of the Air Force Special Services. Of these, Ovsyannikov, Emasov and Lyubas are remembered. They were appointed to the positions of specialist operators. Sergeants and privates arrived almost daily. Automotive equipment and educational literature on the R-2 (8Zh38) missile began to arrive.
At first, two batteries were formed in the first and second divisions. Senior Lieutenant L.N. was appointed commander of one of the batteries of the 2nd division. Stolyarov.
The regiment was located in the town (Dobele-2) on the funds of a disbanded training tank division. All public utility services functioned properly: a well-kept headquarters building, two good-quality soldiers' barracks, a spacious soldiers' canteen with utility rooms, a bathhouse with a laundry. Everything was in satisfactory condition. The town was reliably guarded by units of the tank division.
Gradually, as the tank officers left, their housing stock was transferred to the regiment, but there was tension with housing for the officers and their families. The tank officers, who were among those dismissed, occupied their previous apartments, in no hurry to leave. Several families lived in one apartment, depending on the number of rooms in it. Arriving families were temporarily accommodated in the garrison club, and an improvised officers' dormitory was created there. Single officers lived in the barracks and in a 2-story building opposite the checkpoint (presumably referring to the school building). Subsequently, the “Green Snake” appeared.
In mid-November, we began scheduled classes; in November, classes began to study rocketry using diagrams and posters. Classes were conducted by: Deputy. regiment commander captain N.A. Trunov, chief engineer captain O.A. Stepanov, division commanders and the commander of the starting battery, senior lieutenant L.N. Stolyarov.
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In December, the regiment commander, his deputies, division and battery commanders went out to reconnaissance elements of the regiment's position area and the division's BSP.
Construction work was already underway everywhere. The position area of the second division was located 40 km from the military camp
Dobele-2 and 5 km from the mountains. Žagare, Lithuanian SSR. The launch pads on the BSP of the 1st division were located in a rhombus, and in the 2nd - in a line. The target firing angle in both cases was set at 45 degrees.
At the end of January 1960, after completing the combat crews, the regiment's personnel went to the city of Haapsalu, Estonian SSR, to a related unit. We lived in tents. They trained on the R-2 rocket as backup crews of the local regiment, which had already mastered this product. In February, the combat crews returned to Dobele-2 and continued to train at a training position set up in the forest not far from the boxes. By this time, a set of ground equipment and one training product R-2 had already been received. The regiment had three boxes in Dobele-2. In one they placed an R-2 missile. In the other - special vehicles and autonomous power plants. In the third, a technical position for horizontal testing was deployed. The regiment headquarters developed a tight schedule of theoretical classes and practical training on ground equipment, missile guidance devices, refueling units and other auxiliary equipment.
At this stage of preparation, the main burden fell on the engineering staff of the division, regiment, division and battery commanders. Classes on the history of the creation of guided missiles, the scope of checks and tests for all launch calculations were conducted by “academics”: the chief engineer of the division, Major V.A. Gurov, regiment engineer captain O.A. Stepanov, commander of the starting battery, senior lieutenant L.N. Stolyarov. Classes on the purpose and combat properties of medium-range missiles were conducted by the commander of the 2nd division, Captain A.A. Alexandrov. The section of the technical capabilities of the missiles was taken over by the commander of the 1st division, senior lieutenant V.E. Rushev. The purpose of ground equipment was read by the deputy regiment commander, Captain Trunov. Bukhtiyarov reported on refueling equipment and rocket fuel components. The organizational structure of the regiment is the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel V.D. Korunchikov. Each leader especially emphasized that mastering such weapons with a firing range of over 600 km is only the first step towards the real profession of a rocket scientist.
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In March 1960, I went for retraining to Moscow, to the rocket department of the Dzerzhinsky Artillery Academy. The commander of the starting battery, Stolyarov, went to the Rostov Higher Artillery School. When I returned from Moscow in early July, Lieutenant Colonel Korunchikov instructed me to prepare a practical lesson with the regiment command staff directly at the starting position. The entire range of technical checks was carried out to prepare the rocket for a training launch.
In August, the division traveled to the Plungeni and Tauragian regiments to improve practical skills and finalize the development of the missile system.
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The personnel were located in the forest, not far from one of the position areas. We lived in tents, in the field. In mid-September it was time for test classes. They were conducted by the regiment commander and his instructor group. These complex classes were increasingly attended by the division commander, Colonel A.A. Kolesov. He was a knowledgeable and demanding military leader. Often he rightly intervened in the course of classes and rightly corrected us, young commanders. But he always remained a sharp and direct person.
With the completion of the assembly of the first shield barracks in the residential camp of the 2nd division, sometime in September 1960, the division commander ordered the movement of units of the 2nd division to the position area. The BSP was running out of equipment for launch pads, missile storage facilities and a garage group. Living conditions were unsatisfactory. Stolyarov's battery was located together with the division headquarters in the barracks, the rest - in army tents.
The personnel were fed from camp kitchens in three lines, and sometimes food was brought from the garrison (Dobela-2), in thermoses. Drinking water was also delivered in tanker trucks. The officers ate soldiers' rations from a common cauldron. Washing of personnel was carried out in the bathhouse of the village of Zagare on a contractual basis. Discontent grew increasingly stronger among the officers who arrived from the ground forces, aviation and naval units. When sent to the Republic of Vietnam, personnel authorities promised them early assignment of military ranks, promotion, and increase in pay. There were not isolated cases when officers simply refused to fulfill their duties and demanded to return to their previous places of duty. And the month-long duty did not appeal to them. The number of violations of military discipline among personnel increased, unauthorized absences and even abandonment of the unit became more frequent. The cohabitation of division personnel with military builders had a negative impact. There were cases of looting against the local population.
After analyzing the situation, I turned to the division commander:
- Comrade Colonel, the occupation of the complex is not prepared by the logistics service and is detrimental to the combat and political training of the personnel. I consider the occupation of the complex in this state by a division to be clearly premature.
- Why do you think so, Comrade Captain?- Colonel Kolesov’s hard gaze rested on his obstinate subordinate.
- The final construction of panel barracks for personnel, at best, can only be expected by the end of 1960. Military builders are unable to cope with the construction of planned facilities. In the division, the systematic training of personnel on equipment is disorganized. Unauthorized absences, which did not exist in the garrison (Dobele-2), became more frequent among the soldiers. Diseases have become more frequent.
- Don't tell me what to do, Comrade Captain. You take on a lot- Kolesov snapped. - Follow my last order!
I realized that further bickering with Colonel Kolesov was useless. The division commander was in a hurry to report to army headquarters about the movement of the regiment's divisions to unready positions. Everything there was still in ruins. I wrote a report addressed to the army commander, where I expressed my fundamental disagreement with the actions of the division commander. But the report was lost somewhere in the headquarters corridors.
Simultaneously with the unresolved issues of life in the positional areas, the regiment command also had to resolve social issues in the military town of Dobele-2. The new school year has begun. It was necessary to resolve the issue of transporting students to Dobele Secondary School. Previously, this problem was dealt with by the command of the tank division, and a bus was allocated for schoolchildren. Now this issue falls on the shoulders of the regiment command. Again, thanks to the tankers - they helped us out. It was necessary to resolve the issue with the kindergarten. And the issue of settling the officers’ families has not yet been resolved. There was a shortage of housing stock. Redevelopment of premises for officers' dormitories required material costs, and the regiment's budget did not provide targeted funds for this work. The issue of employment of officers' wives required a solution. Life went on.
The systematic training of the division's personnel to master the single-stage R-2 rocket was still ongoing when a new stage began in improving rocket technology, and therefore knowledge on it. The new R-12 missile system entered service. In the summer of 1960, the personnel of the 1st Division had already retrained for this complex at the Kapustin Yar training ground. We had to learn the basics at BSP. Each battery was given 3 days a week to organize independent training.
Complex classes at the BSP were conducted day and night.
By November 1960, dramatic changes had occurred in the division's positional area in Zhagar. The builders erected two more shield barracks, one of which, by the decision of Lieutenant Colonel Korunchikov, was immediately redesigned inside as classrooms for each section of the starting battery in the following specialties: starters, engine operators, compressor operators, electric fire operators, diesel operators, refuelers.
In the 1st Division, Senior Lieutenant Rushev, in the shield extension to the soldier's barracks, there was a workshop for the production of working models and individual simulators for combat crew numbers. Components and parts from decommissioned aircraft and first-generation missiles were used. Some of the training equipment came from repair factories of the missile forces.
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At the ceremonial meeting of the regiment dedicated to the 43rd anniversary of the Great October Revolution, my political commander, Captain Timofeev, and I were awarded medals “For Impeccable Service.” The commander of the starting battery, Senior Lieutenant Stolyarov, was thanked for successfully passing the tests. On the same day, Lieutenant Colonel Korunchikov finally promised me my first regular vacation in three years. But at midnight, the regiment commander called me at my apartment and canceled his promise. Explained:
- I was in a hurry, Anatoly Andreevich, to promise you a vacation.
- So, you won’t sign the vacation order?
- I won't. Mayorov just called me and said that an encrypted message had been received from the division headquarters for you to arrive in Taurage on the morning of November 9th. The reason for the call is not indicated in the encryption.
- Who exactly should I report to, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel?
- It is also not specified who to appear to, but the telegram was signed by Colonel Kolesov. Contact him.
Colonel Kolesov received me kindly. Having congratulated the personnel of my division on a successful “qualification marathon,” the division commander invited me to head the instructor group for the missile system with the R-12 missile, which I had the opportunity to study during retraining at the missile department of the Academy. Dzerzhinsky. He was sure that I would accept his offer. But I refused, citing the fact that I like the work of a commander, and I also want to work with my personnel when re-equipping the regiment with the R-12 missile. And yet, the division commander invited me to stay for a couple of hours at the formation headquarters.
Colonel Kolesov, apparently, contacted army headquarters and, at a meeting after lunch, offered me the position of deputy head of the Retraining Training Center in Ostrov, which still needed to be deployed and equipped with training equipment. But I refused this offer too. When I returned from Taurage, Lieutenant Colonel Korunchikov signed my leave report. The regiment began to receive R-12 missiles, and two weeks later I was recalled from leave.
It has long been known that a commander's happiness is changeable. In the middle of the last ten days of November 1960. Four new products arrived at the Gardene railway station at once. The regiment commander ordered two missiles to be transported to each division. It was not easy to carry out transportation at night, on a road muddy from rain in low places. The products were transported with special precautions. Ahead of the first column was the vehicle of the commander of the 1st division, together with the chief engineer of the regiment, Captain O.A. Stepanov. The second column was led by the commander of the 2nd division, together with the chief of staff of the regiment, Major K.I. Mayorov. The deputy regiment commander, Major N.A. Trunov, brought up the rear of the columns. The regiment commander was at the regimental headquarters (Dobele-2), maintained contact with the columns via radio and monitored the progress of the transport operation over time.
At midnight, a tedious autumn rain began, which made transportation conditions even more difficult. The column of the 1st division was successful, but an emergency occurred with the column of the 2nd division. At the last turn from the highway to the 2nd division, the road train with the rocket did not fit into the turn, and the rear wheel of the cart slipped into a deep roadside ditch. The unexpected happened... The transport cart, along with the rocket, overturned into a ditch, but did not unhook from the tractor. The column froze in a daze. Nothing like this had ever happened during the entire existence of the regiment. For five or seven minutes everyone stood by the overturned rocket in silence, as if at a funeral. The commander of the transportation division showed agility; he drove a special crane that was traveling in the convoy to the accident site, and slowly, observing extreme caution, lifted the rocket along with the cart onto the road. A quick inspection revealed no damage.
It was only in the storage room, under normal lighting, that a tear in the cover on the right and damage to the fourth stabilizer were discovered. When falling, the rocket hit a large cobblestone... Severe penalties hit the regiment a month later, on New Year's Eve. Lieutenant Colonel Korunchikov and Captain Stepanov received a “warning about incomplete service compliance” in the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army. The army commander punished everyone else with his power. This incident was recalled more than once at official meetings of the army leadership.
At the end of January 1961, during planned comprehensive training at the hospital, I caught a cold and ended up in the district hospital. He agreed to leave due to illness. Resigned in March 1961. He returned to Smolensk and worked at a number of leading enterprises in the city. At the aircraft plant he was the leading process engineer for the production of welded containers “KAS-2” for mobile missile launchers (the prototype of the containers of the current “Topols”). At the same time, on the recommendation of the regional party committee, he entered the Higher Secondary School under the CPSU Central Committee to study in absentia. Having completed it in 1969, he immediately began writing his Ph.D. thesis, which he defended in 1975. at the Faculty of History of Lomonosov Moscow State University. In 1986 I defended my doctoral dissertation at the Academic Council of the Moscow State Pedagogical Institute named after Lenin.
Since September 1976, I worked at the Smolensk branch of the Moscow Energy Institute (Technical University), where I worked my way up from an assistant in the department of social sciences to a professor and head of the department. Now I am simply a professor in this department.
I have been engaged in literary work since 1959. I have written and published: the documentary-fiction series “TWO STAKES” in 6 volumes. A book is dedicated to each year of the Great Patriotic War, and two to 1945. This work was awarded the All-Russian Literary Prize "Stalingrad" in 2001.
The novel “ORDERED TO WIN” in 5 volumes was awarded the A.T. Tvardovsky. Then a collection of poems by Smolensk poets covering a whole century was prepared: “Smolensk Lyre. Anthology of the XX century". This work was awarded an Honorary Diploma of the Alexander Prokofiev “Ladoga” Prize.
My next works were: “The Great Victory in the Far East”, “The Path to the Stars”, “We Stood and Won”. Over the past fifteen years, I have been paying a lot of attention to journalism related to the history of the Great Patriotic War and space exploration. Publications on these topics in 2006 were awarded the “WORD TO THE PEOPLE” prize, established by the editors of the newspaper “Soviet Russia”.
2009 is an anniversary year for the 867th Dobele Missile Regiment. Therefore, my most sincere congratulations to his veterans, who have taken full measure of the difficult cup of service in the missile forces. We all certainly have something to remember from our military biography.
Anufrienko Pyotr Mikhailovi h, chief of staff of the 867th missile regiment (December 1963 - July 1969) Participant of the Second World War, parades of 1945. - May, November and Victory Parade - June 24, 1945. Before transferring to the Strategic Missile Forces, he served in the 96th tank regiment (regiment commander Colonel B.I. Mineev) of the 51st mechanized division (the town of Paplaka, Latvian SSR).
After being appointed to the post of deputy chief of staff of the unit on June 10, 1960, I arrived to serve in military unit 54117 in the city of Jelgava, Latvian SSR. According to the information from the head of the KECH of the Jelgava region and the military commandant of the Jelgava railway station, such a unit was not listed not only in Jelgava, but also in the nearest military garrisons, but I knew that such a unit, part of the Strategic Missile Forces, would be in Yelgava. Having some experience as a lodger, I took up the issue of studying the vacant buildings of military camps located on the territory of the city of Jelgava.
On June 22, 1960, the first team of military personnel arrived at military unit 54117, consisting of: officers - 12 people, conscripts - 9 people, sergeants and privates of the 1st and 2nd years of service - 202 people. Total - 223 people. Team senior lieutenant colonel P.I. Glotov. I asked him: “Where is the equipment and property?”. To which he replied: “There is no equipment or property. The personnel arrived from disbanding units". And before the arrival of this team, the head of communications of the formation, Lieutenant Colonel N.G., visited the city and the military camp. Lesanin, whom I asked: “Where is this part?”, to which he replied: “You are this part - 54117”.
I, as having experience in service at the regiment headquarters, prepared a draft order for unit number 1 dated June 22, 1960, in which acting officers were appointed. unit commander, Lieutenant Colonel P.I. Glotov and acting Chief of Staff Major P.M. Anufrienko. The arriving personnel were enrolled in all types of allowances. Thus began my service in the Strategic Missile Forces regiment.
In military unit 54117, I gained extensive experience and practice in the reception and staffing of units, in the organization and planning of combat and political training, in the organization of administrative and economic activities, because everything started from scratch, from scratch.
In resolving issues and, above all, in forming the unit, great assistance was provided by: the formation commander, Colonel A.A. Kolesov, his deputy. in the rear Colonel I.P. Shelukhansky, office. Chief of Staff of the formation Captain Yakovlev, Chief of Communications of the formation Lieutenant Colonel N.G. Lesanin, head of the financial service, Major Valeev. But the most important assistance in solving economic and everyday issues in the first days of the arrival of personnel to the unit was provided by the commander of the Air Force unit, Lieutenant Colonel D.M. Bukharinov, who, after the disbandment of the unit, was transferred to the Strategic Missile Forces to the position of head of the RTB (Yelgava).
In October 1960, after the end of the disbandment of the units, the command of the unit arrived in the regiment, including the regiment commander, Colonel B.I. Mineev, heads of services. I began to fulfill my official duties - deputy chief of staff of the regiment. I didn’t think about my career growth - my length of service was over 20 years, my age was about 40 years. Retraining in the study of missile weapons took place at the Riga VIKU, an army school for training junior mountain specialists. Ostrov, Academy named after. A.F. Mozhaisk mountains Leningrad.
At the beginning of December 1963, I was summoned to a meeting of the Military Council of the 50th RA in the city. Smolensk, where personnel issues were also discussed. After the meeting ended, I was called by the Chief of Army Staff K.A. Gerchik, who, one might say, took an exam from me on knowledge of missile weapons, combat control, regulations (troop service). He gave a description of the regiment to which I should be appointed chief of staff of the regiment, and pointed out what issues to pay special attention to in my work.
To a new duty station, to the position of chief of staff of the 867th missile regiment (military unit 23460, Dobele, Latvian SSR), I arrived in the second half of December 1963. Regiment commander Colonel M.P. Danilchenko. He gave a detailed description of the regiment and introduced it to the personnel of the headquarters and units of the regiment. Having studied the history of the regiment, documents on combat and political training for the three years of its existence, it became clear to me that the regiment has rich traditions and good successes.
The 867th Missile Regiment was formed on the basis of the Frontal Aviation Regiment and the 156th Mechanized Regiment of the 51st Mechanized Division, whose name was received by continuity and became known as the 867th Guards Missile Polotsk Order of Kutuzov 3rd Degree Regiment (military unit 23460 ).
First regiment command:
Regiment commander - Lieutenant Colonel V.D. Korunchikov;
Deputy regiment commander - Captain N.A. Trunov;
Deputy regiment commander for political affairs - Lieutenant Colonel Popov;
Chief of Staff of the Regiment - Major K.I. Majors;
Deputy regiment commander for missile weapons - chief engineer of the regiment, Captain O.A. Stepanov;
The deputy regiment commander for rear affairs is Major Evstigneev.
The commander of the 1st division is Captain A.A. Alexandrov.
The commander of the 2nd division is Senior Lieutenant V.E. Rushev
The commander of the transportation and refueling division is Major Dmitriev.
The regiment's location is the military town of Dobele-2, 5 km west of the regional center of the mountains. Dobele Latvian SSR. On the territory of the military town of Dobele-2, units and equipment of the 24th training tank division of the PribVO were located.
The formation of the regiment began in the second half of 1959. In parallel with the staffing of the units, the regiment began to receive equipment, ground equipment, and communications equipment. The construction of the BSP of 2 ground divisions was underway. Since January 1960, the regiment began scheduled combat and political training, as well as the development of missile complex facilities under construction with the R-12 missile. In January 1960, construction and installation of technological equipment for the silo missile complex (3rd missile division) began. In May 1960, the first missile division departed to the Kapustin Yar State Test Site, where all four launch batteries successfully launched R-2 missiles, retrained for the R-12 missile system and received permission to independently work on preparing and launching the R-12 missile. Since April 1961, the first missile division began to carry out combat duty at the BSP with all four launchers in constant combat readiness. At the beginning of 1961, the second division left the GCP, where it also successfully carried out four launches of R-12 missiles and received permission to operate independently. On December 10, 1961, the second division began combat duty. In July 1963, the regiment conducted an exercise under the leadership of the army commander with the withdrawal of all 8 launchers to the ZPR (reserve position area) and carrying out combat duty there for 10 days. The regiment completed the task successfully, receiving a good rating. In the same year, on September 30, the 3rd Mine Division took up combat duty. In 1963, immediately after the July exercise, the regiment underwent a new test. The entire 1st Division was sent to the GCP. Division commander Major Markov. The division was given the task: three launchers would alternately work on refueling and subsequent drainage of the missile launcher on one combat missile, and the fourth would carry out a combat training launch of the same missile. The division coped with the task.
This is a very short three-year history of the 867th Missile Regiment, to which I was appointed chief of staff of the regiment. I was lucky to serve in such an illustrious regiment. The regiment is on combat duty with all standard launchers. He has extensive experience in traveling to the Kapustin Yar training ground, where he conducted both experimental and planned training on the preparation and launch of combat training missiles. At the same time, with the participation of both regular divisions with ground launchers, it was withdrawn to the ZPR, where it carried out assigned combat missions for ten days. Every year he was subject to inspections of the organization of combat duty, combat and political training. The actions of the command of the regiment and units were assessed only positively. Construction of the main facilities and structures has been completed. The regiment's units, with the exception of the missile delivery battery and the SRT, are constantly located in the main position areas. Family members of officers and conscripts, depending on where they served, were stationed in the military town of Dobele-2 and the village of Eleya. Servicing of the residential area of family members was carried out by the KEC service of the Jelgava region.
Regimental command and chiefs of regiment services:
Regiment commander Colonel M.P. Danilchenko,
Deputy regiment commander - Lieutenant Colonel P.N. Drembic,
Deputy for political affairs - Lieutenant Colonel Yu.P. Rachkovsky,
Chief engineer - captain O.A. Stepanov,
Deputy for rear - Lieutenant Colonel I.G. Trubachev,
Deputy Chief of Staff - Major B.I. Smirnov,
Head of the regiment command post - Major G. Chebotar,
Secretary of the Party Committee - Lieutenant Colonel I.Ya. Bortnikov,
The regiment's communications chief is Major V.E. Zhavoronkov,
Head of the engineering service - Major A.I. Nikolaev,
Head of the automobile service - Major G.I. Zelensky,
Head of the CP and AGO - Major G. Kozlov,
Military engineer - Major N.I. Leonov and others.
After introducing me to the personnel and a short acquaintance with the location of the position areas, the regiment commander and I arrived at the regimental headquarters, where I was assigned an office on the 2nd floor of the headquarters building, opposite the commander’s office (door to door). First of all, I familiarized myself with the working conditions of secret office work and the main documents regulating the activities of the regiment.
In the evening, after the end of the working day, the deputy came to see me. regiment commander for political affairs, Lieutenant Colonel Yu.P. Rachkovsky and the secretary of the party committee, Lieutenant Colonel I.Ya. Bortnikov, we officially met. They gave a complete and objective description of the regiment and commanders, including battery commanders. Their information was very useful to me and I am grateful to them for that. After they left, I began to plan my work for the first days of my service. The time of year - the second half of December - is the time to adjust and make changes to the “Plan for Bringing the Regiment to Combat Readiness”, compiling a report on combat and political training for the past academic year and developing a project for the new year, providing assistance in creating the UMB, current work, and it cannot be changed.
But, no matter how difficult it was, first of all I decided to get acquainted with the organization and performance of combat duty at the command post and communications center of the regiment.
The head of the command post is Major G. Chebotar.
The regiment's communications chief is Major V.E. Zhavoronkov.
Head of the Control Department - Captain Yu.V. Usoltsev.
Deputy the head of the Department of Political Affairs is Lieutenant A. Romanov.
Deputy Head of the Control Department for technical parts - Captain I.P. Suzansky.
Head of the reception center - Art. Lieutenant Sobolevsky.
The command post was located on the territory of the 2nd Division in a one-story bunded structure built according to a standard design. Nearby, in former residential buildings vacated at the beginning of construction of the facility, a reception center and US training classes were located. Everything is close by, but there is no comfort in the premises, especially in the main hall of the command post, where the operational duty officer (436) and the regiment commander on duty, appointed from among the regiment's leadership (505), were on combat duty. The walls are grey-white, etc. I recommended that the heads of the command post, communications and control department think through the issue of equipping combat posts, establishing appropriate order and creating comfort. Moreover, in the near future it was planned to store the battle banners of the regiment and the control center in the main hall of the command post. The combat documentation met the requirements. At the same time, work was carried out at the control center to install, assemble and configure some electronic control system equipment. Its mastering by specialists was carried out during installation, but by the operational staff - directly according to the attached operating manuals.
The operational duty officers at the regiment's command post were well prepared, they knew the composition of duty shifts, the technology of preparing a missile for launch, the organization of security and defense of missile systems, they competently managed and monitored the performance of combat duty by duty shifts. The main person at the command post was the regiment commander on duty, who was given the right to make decisions on completing assigned tasks before the regiment commander arrived at the command post. At the regimental command post and in the divisions, duty was carried out around the clock, in the regiment - by full-time operational duty officers, in divisions - from among the trained officers of the division headquarters and starting batteries. Communication between the regimental command post and the divisions was carried out through underground communication channels - open, with higher headquarters - open and closed telephone and telegraph. Radio communication is in receiving mode. If communication with the regiment units on combat duty in the main positional area did not cause much concern, then when the divisions entered the reserve positional area, communication wanted to be better. In this case, communication was carried out through a switch located in Dobele-2, using a leased single channel of the air civil communication line, which complicated management. Moreover, once in the summer, on the territory of the ZPR of the first division, a field camp of one of the units of the PribVO was set up, which also had to be taken into account and coordinated with the headquarters of the PribVO.
The chief of communications of the regiment, Major V.E., did a lot in matters of organizing communications, preparing signalmen for combat duty, and equipping combat posts. Zhavoronkov and the deputy head of the Department, Captain I.P. Suzansky. A good educational training center was created to train communications specialists.
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In February 1963, the Armed Forces organized the recruitment of a female contingent into military service. About 70 women aged 19-23 years old from the military registration and enlistment offices of the Latvian and Lithuanian SSR arrived in the regiment. They were placed as conscripts in the barracks of the military town of Dobele-2, trained in the young soldier course, took the oath, and distributed to units - to headquarters, first-aid posts, rear services and communications points. The majority of women served in the US regiment. They were housed in the residential area of the second division in a separate room, in rooms for 3-5 people, and those who serviced the switchboard in Dobele-2 were in the officers' dormitory. From among them, communications specialists were trained, and many became excellent students in combat and political training. True, their appearance increased the hassle, especially for political workers. They performed their service regularly. During my entire service in the regiment, I do not remember that the personnel of the duty shift of the US did not receive the control signal transmitted in the Monolit radio networks. True, I set one condition: the one who receives the signal first two times in a row and is positively characterized in his service receives leave. The vacation ticket and travel documents for traveling to the homeland were handed over immediately when summing up the results at the end of the shift. I kept my promise.
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In May 1965, instead of Lieutenant Colonel P.N., who was transferred to the reserve. Drembich, Lieutenant Colonel V.A. arrived to the post of deputy regiment commander. Ganin, who previously served in the RTB units of the Jelgava regiment. He underwent retraining at the Kapustin Yar training ground, where he took part in complex classes as crew numbers, working “over the shoulder,” and mastered several specialties. In the regiment, he did not miss a single comprehensive training session, conducted day or night, with or without refueling, in the OPR or ZPR, in divisions with ground or silo launchers. He studied well and knew not only the level of training of each battery, but also each specialist down to the department technician, and even the crew number. I tried to develop instructions for working on a rocket with crew numbers, but it didn’t work out, it was very large.
In November 1965 regiment commander Colonel M.P. Danilchenko left for deputy. commander of the MKR division, Lieutenant Colonel L.V. was appointed instead. Orekhov. It was very difficult for me to part with him, as a commander and as an honest and conscientious person with an open soul. During my short period of service in the Strategic Missile Forces L.V. Orekhov was already the third commander of the regiment - Colonel B.I. Mineev, Colonel M.P. Danilchenko They had one thing in common - maintaining the regiment's units in constant combat readiness to carry out assigned tasks.
In 1965, according to the results of the BiPP, the regiment received an overall rating of good, and the 3rd Missile Division again confirmed the title of “excellent”.
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Lieutenant Colonel L.V. Orekhov began his service in the regiment by studying the “Plan for Bringing the Regiment to Combat Readiness” and familiarizing himself with the organization of combat duty by the duty shift of the regiment command post. I was not involved in this work, but the head of the command post, Major G. Chebotar, and the chief of communications of the regiment, Major V.E. Zhavoronkov, he clarified the questions he needed. He expressed his comments and suggestions to me. By that time the checkpoint was already landscaped. Subsequently, he continued to get acquainted, not as commanders usually do - with the combat position, but with studying the location of objects and their purpose in the divisions, with the organization of combat duty. He returned to the regimental headquarters late in the evening, got acquainted with the current documents, gave the necessary orders, and the next day began his service with a visit to some unit. He kept in touch with me constantly, I knew where he was and what issues he was solving there. It was very easy to work with him.
If the 1965 academic year was calmer, except for the withdrawal of the 1st division to the ZPR (thirty-day duty) and the conduct of complex training with refueling the rocket with combat SRT, then 1966 began with the departure of combat crews to the Kapustin Yar training ground. It began with the departure in February of the combat crew of the 1st GPP of the mine division, the commander of the crew, Major Farafonov, and the regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel L.V., went with him. Orekhov. No sooner had the regiment commander returned from the training ground than in May, led by the deputy. regiment commander Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Ganin, the 8th starting battery, battery commander V.N., left for the training ground. Likholetov. In September, the 1st battery went to the training ground, battery commander Major G.S. Taraban led by the regiment commander. The test site tested the readiness of combat crews to launch a missile on a reduced schedule, as well as methods for training soldiers and sergeants to work for officers. All missile launches were successful.
The purpose of the departure is short, but some did not imagine the kind of work that the regimental headquarters and division headquarters, the chiefs of the regiment services did in preparation for leaving for the training ground or entering the ZPR. She is very versatile and responsible. First of all, it was necessary to calculate the time to reduce the combat readiness of the units, ensure management and combat duty without departing units, and prepare a lot of documents and orders. Each trip to the training ground, entry into the ZPR is a check of each serviceman of the regiment for his readiness to carry out assigned combat missions.
1967 The formation period of the regiment ended a long time ago. New requirements for the BPP, for combat crews, and for the study of missile technology required the improvement of the UMB. It was time to move on from diagrams and posters to actual mock-ups and simulators. And the service life of conscripts was reduced to two years. The previously created UMB did not meet modern requirements. Having studied the state of the MMB, the possibilities for its improvement in each division, and with the support of the division command, we drew up a specific plan and began to implement it. All services of the regiment, and primarily the missile weapons service, were involved in its implementation. General leadership was entrusted to the deputy regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Ganina.
In each ground division: in the 1st - in the old brick training building, in the 2nd - in the vacated building No. 2, simulators and loudspeaker communication were equipped. Simulators for practical training in aiming calculations were installed, and existing classes were updated. There were also incidents. In the second division, they equipped a new class of OPD (chief of OPD Captain Yashchenko), and replaced computer equipment with new models. This class was attended only by OPD personnel; the class was located in the residential area of the division. After some time, computers disappeared from the classroom; technology at that time was very expensive and in demand. The chief of staff of the division, Major V.N., reported this to me. Pereskokov, I - to the relevant authorities, including the military prosecutor's office, the Department of Internal Affairs of the Dobele region. The crime was revealed, the perpetrators were punished in court.
I have long been toying with the idea of a shooting range for shooting standard small arms. I made a hint to Vsevolod Andreevich, he became thoughtful, and I had already previously examined almost all the quarries in the area of the 2nd division and had my eye on one of the sand quarries, from which military builders at one time took sand. The matter was worth solving. The shooting range was built and the first unit that tested it was the regiment's communications center.
Thus, a good training department was created in the regiment, facilitating high-quality training of personnel. The sports base also developed, both in open areas and indoors.
Based on the results of the BiPP for 1967, the regiment was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Latvia. The diploma was presented by the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR, J. E. Kalnberzin. Everyone knows this. But what kind of preparation did Lieutenant Colonel L.V. carry out for the presentation of the diploma? Orekhov, few people know. In one night, the 2nd Division's parade ground was paved and a grandstand was installed. Only the division commander, Major B.K., knew this well. Tyrtsev and the commander of the BBO, Major Apelsinov.
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1968 Change of command of the regiment again. In January, instead of Orekhov, Lieutenant Colonel V.A. was appointed commander of the regiment. Ganin, former deputy regiment commander. It took no time to get acquainted with the regiment. I knew Vsevolod Andreevich well as a deputy. regiment commander, but with his appointment as regimental commander, in the first months of his service in this position, I, as the chief of staff of the regiment, very often received criticism from the leaders of the division headquarters for low performance. I understand, there is no one to blame. Lieutenant Colonel Ganin, having familiarized himself with the document, did not indicate a specific executor or person responsible for execution, he only put a date and signature. The person responsible for storing this document, having reviewed the resolution, filed it in the file. I did not make excuses to the leadership of the division headquarters, especially to the chief of staff, Colonel Yu.V. Toropov, the one who served with him knew his character well. I collected similar documents and officially went to the commander, showed the documents with overdue deadlines, and explained the reason. He took my comments into account, and in our further service there were no complaints against each other.
The main tasks facing the regiment were:
Carrying out regulations of technological equipment in the mine division;
Transition to a two-year term of service for conscript soldiers and sergeants without reducing the combat readiness of regiment units;
Organization of combat duty by REZM personnel included in the duty forces of the divisions;
Preparing soldiers and sergeants to work for officers in preparing a rocket for launch;
Installation, adjustment and mastering of ASBU “Signal” equipment and others at command posts.
The main thing was to carry out regulations on the equipment of the 3rd division. And this was due to a decrease in the combat readiness of the division. The commander of the regiment's duty forces and the operational duty officer had to constantly, according to the developed network schedule, monitor the timely execution of operations and submit reports on their implementation to the division command post. There were difficulties in allowing civilians into the facility. The audit work was completed on time. TSU was carried out with the personnel of the division, led by the deputy. Division commander Colonel I.F. Nikolaev with the participation of the division's instructor group. The division coped with the tasks, the rating is excellent. The division was included in the Book of Honor of the Military Council of the Strategic Missile Forces, division commander Lieutenant Colonel Yu.V. Potapov received a government award.
August 1968, a normal working day. I was at the regiment's command post, there were few phone calls from higher command posts, and there was almost no interference in the duty radio networks. The regiment commander in his office. It seems that after a lunch break at the command post, a code telegram arrives addressed to the regiment commander with the order “Get on high alert.” The regiment commander confirmed to the higher command post the date and time of receipt of the order and, without waiting for additional instructions, declared a combat alert for the regiment. All officers in winter quarters were called to their units. Thus began the most crucial moment during the Czechoslovak events. If Lieutenant Colonel V.A. Ganin acted decisively, then the head of the RTB, Colonel M.E. Repin, doubted for a long time - what to do? Reports were sent to the division command post on the progress of the combat mission. In addition to Repin, apparently, there were also commanders who doubted, because, about 2-3 hours later, a message came through:
“The commander of such and such a missile regiment for not taking timely measures to bring the regiment into combat readiness shall be removed from his position.” Orders were sent - to check the installation of the control unit, strictly observe the temperature and humidity conditions in structures No. 2, check the presence and serviceability of grounding equipment, check the readiness for operation of autonomous diesel power plants, strengthen the security and defense of combat positions, etc. Implementation deadlines - immediately. It’s August, like never before, the temperature outside is high, the air conditioners work without turning off, the temperature in the rooms reaches +30, and in the control room - more.
The task was completed. Despite the temporary inconveniences, the regiment's personnel showed high organization, discipline and readiness to carry out assigned tasks. During this period, a lot of work was carried out by the party and political apparatus of the regiment, headed by the deputy. regiment commander for political affairs, Lieutenant Colonel N.N. Stulikov.
One of the important issues in maintaining the regiment in combat readiness was geodetic support. The regiment had such a unit as a geodetic platoon, which was part of the combat support battery. Captain V.F. Dunin was responsible for its preparation. They laid polygonometric and angular paths, selected special landmarks and laid them on the ground, and with high accuracy determined the coordinates and initial azimuths for aiming missiles. Knowing the requirements for the personnel of the OPD and the geodetic platoon, their responsibility for performing official tasks, I told Captain V.F. Dudin was allowed to select people from among those who arrived at the call of personnel to serve in these reserve units. He very rarely made mistakes in this matter.
The regiment, as a rule, was annually tasked with checking the geodetic starting points of the geodetic support network, the safety of geodetic signs, and carrying out various other works. This work begins in May and ends in November. Military surveyors dressed in civilian clothes and shoes, a car with a civilian license plate. Legend - students of educational institutions undergo practical training. But where can I get such clothes and shoes for 12-15 people? I had to work in the forest, swampy areas, cross streams and rivers, in any weather. It was necessary to maintain military discipline and deal with logistics. In addition to all this, surveyors, together with aiming calculations, performed weekly, monthly, semi-annual and annual geodetic checks. The platoon coped with its assigned tasks successfully and was almost every year considered one of the best in the division and in the army. This is the great merit of Captain V.F. Dunin, an experienced specialist and skillful educator.
Engineering and technical support for the regiment was carried out by an engineering and technical platoon, platoon commander Art. Lieutenant Borodich, who was part of the combat support battery. The immediate superior is the regiment's military engineer, Major N.I. Leonov, who set tasks for preparing roads to the ZPR, to the unloading station, and, if necessary, clearing the area for placing equipment at starting positions, clearing snow in winter conditions.
With the completion of the construction of structures on the territory of the combat missile systems, premises in residential areas, the regiment's units, from the premises of the residential area of the Dobele-2 military camp, were withdrawn to the area of the regiment's position area, where they began to develop and improve them. Since 1961, a non-standard unit has been created in each division to maintain alarm systems, MZP in the warning zone and patrol the outer perimeter of the combat missile complex. At the BSP, the missile complex was guarded by the personnel of the launch and technical batteries. In 1964, rezm were introduced into the staff of missile divisions. The personnel of the starting batteries were no longer involved in security, except in cases of strengthening the defense during combat operations and in the ZPR. We also had to deal with catching “spies.” Almost every year, especially in the summer, a rumor spread that graduates of some special educational institutions at the end of their studies were required to undergo practice in penetrating important military installations, conducting “sabotage” there and presenting a report in the form of photographs to management. This did not affect us; we did not receive any copies of the photo. Whether such a practice ever existed, I don’t know. But there was a case when a lynx appeared in the forests of the 2nd division. She was found on the security fence - the “Grid”, which died under voltage. One of the craftsmen in the 2nd division made a souvenir rug from lynx skin.
The unloading of combat missiles, the missile launcher at the Gardene unloading station, and the transportation of the training missile from one division to another were carried out by the personnel of the missile and missile transport battery, battery commander Major V.T. Tuchkov. The road network was mostly hard asphalt, the distance to the complexes was from 30 to 60 km, the equipment was large and heavy. But, nevertheless, the roads in some areas were dangerous in unfavorable weather conditions (ice and spring thaw). Although, as the battery commander, Major Tuchkov, said, he knew every square. look at these roads, it is impossible to foresee everything.
There was a case. I was responsible for unloading and transporting the combat missile. Winter. We finished unloading, and the convoy of escort vehicles began the march. At one section of the road the column stopped. I'll clarify the reason. The battery commander reports: “This section of the road has a large slope and is completely covered with ice.” To avoid the cart with the rocket from tipping over, the cart was pulled up and transported at a speed of 1 km per hour. Thanks to Tuchkov’s skillful actions and knowledge of the situation, the cargo was delivered to the appointed place in complete safety.
Another case. In the area where the 2nd Division was located, one section of the road was covered with crushed stone without asphalt and had very high groundwater. It did not pose a danger to passenger cars and ordinary freight transport. During this period of the year we received the CRT. During transportation, the column stopped at one intersection. The battery commander, knowing this area, sent a KrAZ vehicle in order to conduct reconnaissance of the roadway; it got stuck, so much so that the division had to call the ATT. We marched along bypass roads. It’s spring, the roads are narrow, it’s good that there were no bridges. And such cases in the life of the battery commander, Major V.T. There were quite a few Tuchkovs.
An equally important issue in the work of the regiment headquarters was the training of drivers from among those who arrived upon conscription. Additional training of drivers in the regiment ended with completing 500 km. marching. The route was chosen taking into account the acquisition of skills in driving cars, both on paved asphalt roads and on dirt, forest and semi-swamp roads. The march took place around the clock.
The personnel departing for harvesting carried out their assigned tasks with honor. In the preparation of equipment leaving for harvesting, a great merit goes to the head of the regiment's automobile service, Major G.I. Zelensky.
The division command, Colonel A.A., provided us with enormous assistance in organizing the BPP, preparing the regiment for combat duty, and providing combat and logistical support. Kolesov, Colonel V.A. Toropov, Major A.A. Gurov, Colonel I.P. Shelukhansky. With the arrival of Colonel I.F. Nikolaev as deputy division commander, a whole book could be written about him. Invaluable assistance was provided by the officers of the division's instructor group, headed by Colonel S.S. Zaitsev, rear officers and others.
For success in combat and political training, the regiment was awarded:
Certificate of Honor of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Latvia,
Passing Red Banners of the Military Council of the 50th Missile Army.
The third division, division commander Yu. V. Potapov, is included in the Book of Honor of the Military Council of the Strategic Missile Forces, and the regiment commander, head of the management department captain A.S., is included in the Book of Honor of the Military Council of the Army. Dzhumyga.
Of the officers who served in the regiment, the following were appointed to higher positions:
Regiment commander Colonel M.P. Danilchenko - division commander;
Regiment commander Colonel L.V. Orekhov - division commander;
Division commander Major B.K. Tyrtsev - division commander;
Head of Department A.D. Krasnov - chief of staff of the Aerospace Forces association;
Political officer Lieutenant Colonel Yu.P. Rachkovsky - head of the political school;
Deputy for the RVO of the division, Captain V.A. Rylov - chief engineer of the division;
Battery commander Captain V.N. Likholetov - deputy. Chief of Army Staff;
The division commander, Major V.V. Markov, is the head of the personnel department of the Military Institute named after. A.F. Mozhaisky;
The chief of staff of the regiment, Major V.E. Zhavoronkov, was the chief of communications of one of the divisions;
Assistant Chief of Staff of the Division Art. Lieutenant G.F. Dubrovin - senior officer of the operational direction of the Central Command Center of the Strategic Missile Forces;
Deputy battery commander Captain V.S. Kukarin - senior officer of the military service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, and others.
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I was discharged from the Armed Forces in July 1969 after completing the established terms of active service. Under the command of the regiment, Colonel V.A. Ganin and Lieutenant Colonel A.D. Krasnov was annually, and more than once, invited to meetings with personnel, and after their departure, communication ceased.
After my dismissal, I got a job at one of the enterprises in the mountains. Jelgava for the position of engineer for scientific and technical information. Later he worked at the city civil defense headquarters. And in those days and today I am engaged in public work, mainly on military-patriotic issues.
I am grateful to everyone who remembers me.
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For his great contribution to strengthening the defense power of the Soviet state and its armed defense, success in combat and political training by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 15, 1974. PribVO awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
In the 1960s 4 motorized rifle divisions left the district: the 31st Guards from Kaunas and the 119th (265th) to the Far East, the 18th Guards to Czechoslovakia (TsGV), and the 8th Guards to Frunze. At the same time, according to the Directive of the USSR Ministry of Defense dated July 11, 1964, the first to leave for the Amur region was the 119th (265th) motorized rifle division. Instead, new connections and units were created. For example, on the site of the 119th (265th) division that left Vilnius, the 107th motorized rifle division was created, and on the site of the 8th Guards Division in Tallinn on February 18, 1967, the 144th division was formed, which, by directive of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces dated December 27, 1967 No. org/1/64838 was given the name Guards and awards were given as inheritance from the disbanded 36th Guards Motorized Rifle Elninsky Red Banner Order of Suvorov division.
By 1965, a group of troops directly subordinate to the commander of the Airborne Forces, geographically located in PribVO, consisted of the 7th Guards and 44th Training Airborne Divisions ( see chap. 6).
In addition to the Airborne Divisions, PribVO in the 1970-1980s 3 tank and 6 motorized rifle divisions were stationed, of which 2 tank and 2 motorized rifle divisions were subordinate to the 11th Guards Army ( adj. 17.1), and the rest (including the artillery division) - directly to the district command ( table 17.4).
Table 17.4
Formations and units of central and district subordination in the late 1980s.
| No. and name of formation, in brackets - No. of military unit | Dislocation |
|---|---|
| Commander's Office, Headquarters, 360th dept. security and support battalion (41582), 61 US | Riga |
| dept. mixed aviation squadron (22580), 86th department. radio technical regiment OsNaz (11143) | Riga |
| 37th department air assault brigade (75193) | Chernyakhovsk |
| 4th department GRU special forces brigade (77034) | Viljandi |
| 149th Missile Brigade (33812) | Dolgorukovo |
| 384th Artillery Brigade BM (83288) | Plunge |
| 918th Rocket Artillery Regiment (54365) | Telšiai |
| 69th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (45800) | Baltiysk |
| 367th department transport combat helicopter regiment (06922), 9th Guards. engineer-sapper regiment (89580), 434th department. pontoon-bridge battalion (96060) | Kaunas |
| 489th department helicopter regiment /combat and control/ (32202) | Paplaka |
| 405th department BSR regiment (61602) 1, 1121st department. radio relay battalion (02977) | Taurage |
| 283rd department helicopter squadron (44004) | Aluksne |
| 46th Pontoon-Bridge Regiment (68433) | Gorodkovo |
| 1377th department pontoon-bridge battalion of the Airborne Forces (41460) | Kalvaria |
| 83rd department communications brigade (42280), 545th department. linear communications battalion (54679), 285th department. helicopter electronic warfare squadron (22560) | Jelgava |
| 128th department communications brigade (16767), 206th department. rear communications regiment (64555) | Zakumuiza (Riga) |
| 139th department radio engineering brigade OsNaz (51429) | Bukulty |
| 27th department electronic warfare battalion (83288) | Plunge |
| 498th department electronic warfare battalion (11667) | Rezekne |
| 15th department radio technical air defense battalion (61992) | Klaipeda |
| 6th Chemical Defense Brigade (30556), 22nd Reconnaissance and Surveillance Regiment | Parnu |
| 63rd logistics brigade (28726), 5th automobile brigade (43782), 5538th repair and restoration base | Dobele (Riga) |
| 3rd Guards Motorized Rifle Division 2 (61415) consisting of: | Klaipeda |
| - 9th Guards motorized rifle regiment BM (41610), 277th Guards. tank regiment (61655), 22nd Guards. artillery regiment (41786), 1063rd anti-aircraft artillery regiment, 966th department. missile division (01677), 1271st department. anti-tank division, 187th division. Guards engineer battalion (41647), 494th department. Guards communications battalion (04162), 102nd department. chemical defense company (11261), 299th division. repair and restoration battalion (12335), 32nd department. medical company (31776), 1026th department. logistics battalion (51877), OVKR (02480) | Klaipeda |
| - 273rd Guards. motorized rifle regiment BT (11866), 287th Guards. motorized rifle regiment BM (01837), det. reconnaissance battalion (62311) | Telšiai |
| 7th Guards Airborne Division(93613) consisting of: | Kaunas |
| - 108th Guards. parachute regiment (02291), 744th division. Guards anti-aircraft missile division (01896), 72nd division. reconnaissance company (86788), 743rd detachment. Guards communications battalion (02050), 6th department. repair and restoration battalion (21012), 1692nd department. airborne support battalion (64009), 313th department. medical battalion (02342), 1681st department. logistics battalion (42688), 185th department. military transport aviation squadron (96457) | Kaunas |
| - 97th Guards parachute regiment (10999) | Alytus |
| - 119th Guards. parachute regiment (10075) | Marijampole |
| - 1141st Guards artillery regiment (02207), 83rd division. self-propelled artillery division (11007) | Kalvaria |
| - 143rd department Guards engineer battalion (32553), 215th training ground (63319) | Kaelu Ruda |
| 24th Tank Training Division - 54th Training Center(29760) consisting of: | Dobele (Riga) |
| - training 177th tank regiment (01352), 193rd tank regiment (01332), 1265th anti-aircraft artillery regiment (01362), dept. reconnaissance battalion, 422nd detachment. engineer battalion, 84th division. communications battalion (01334), 381st department. repair and restoration battalion (10940), 712th department. automobile battalion (33467), OVKR | Dobele (Riga) |
| - training 13th Guards. motorized rifle regiment BT, BM (37526), 1261st artillery regiment (01398), 556th department. chemical protection battalion, 29th division. medical battalion (11195) | Adazi |
| - 207th training tank regiment (01351) | Ventspils |
| 44th Airborne Training Division - 242nd Airborne Training Center(11929) consisting of: | Gaizhunai |
| - 1120th training artillery regiment (73434) | Prenay |
| - educational 300th department. communications battalion (01660), 743rd department. airborne support battalion (42235) | Kaunas |
| - training 226th parachute regiment (42232), 285th parachute regiment (74995), 301st parachute regiment (42227), 367th department. anti-aircraft missile and artillery division (57495), 113th department. engineer battalion (11932), 148th division. training battalion of heavy airborne equipment (93268), 45th department. repair and restoration battalion (59356), 184th department. medical battalion (01655), 373rd department. automobile battalion (73439), 214th training ground | Gaizhunai |
| - 340th department military transport aviation squadron | Potsyunai |
| 107th Motorized Rifle Division(22238) consisting of: | Vilnius |
| - 660th motorized rifle regiment (96408), 384th anti-aircraft missile regiment (28379), 695th department. missile division (75041), 104th department. chemical protection company, 401st department. medical battalion (31778) | Ukmerge |
| - 77th Guards. motorized rifle regiment BT (73890), 664th motorized rifle regiment (29211), 106th tank regiment (78018), 379th artillery regiment (41670), 980th det. anti-tank division (31644), 640th department. reconnaissance battalion, 1298th division. engineer battalion, 1400th communications battalion, 304th department. repair and restoration battalion (34472), 1029th department. logistics battalion (78717), OVKR (35615) | Vilnius |
| 144th Guards Motorized Rifle Division 3 (12129) consisting of: | Tallinn |
| - 254th Guards. motorized rifle regiment BT (92953), 686th department. communications battalion (44821), dept. chemical protection company, dept. medical battalion, 1032nd department. logistics battalion, OVKR (42380) | Tallinn |
| - 482nd motorized rifle regiment (61965), 488th motorized rifle regiment (35653), 450th artillery regiment (44689), 1259th anti-aircraft artillery regiment (61635), 3rd department. tank battalion (13958), 156th division. Missile Division, 1281st Det. anti-tank division (31779), 148th division. reconnaissance battalion (36915), 295th division. engineer battalion (48853), 379th department. repair and restoration battalion (34497) | Klooga |
| - 228th Tank Regiment (52345) | Kayla |
| 149th Artillery Division(25780) 4 consisting of: | Kaliningrad |
| - 243rd heavy howitzer artillery brigade, 671st cannon artillery regiment, 672nd cannon artillery regiment, 683rd heavy howitzer artillery regiment, 689th Guards. rocket artillery regiment (63073), 29th anti-tank artillery regiment (39434), 2317th reconnaissance artillery regiment | Kaliningrad |
| 153rd Motorized Rifle Division frame (20657) 5 | Pabrade |
| 230th Rear Security Division frame | Dobele (Riga) |
