Soviet Destroyer "Soobrazitelny"

[Doug]

Hello everyone,

Has anyone heard of the Soviet Destroyer Soobrazitelny? I am especially interested if anyone can tell me who the captain was from 1940-1944.

Thanks very much,

Doug

[Eugene]

The captain was S. S. Vorkov in 1940-1944 who became rare admiral.
The destroyer "Soobrasitelniy" never was damaged or lost any member of the crue during the war.

[Doug]

Thanks Eugene,

I've been trying to patch some incomplete research together and was hoping someone would confirm for me that Vorkov was the Captain. I don't have a citation (only an award transmittal order and award card) but I have one of Vorkov's Red Banners that was awarded to him in April 1942. Hopefully, I can figure out how he earned this RB by looking into the ship's history. Interestingly, it appears that at the end of the war, he bacame captain of the German light cruiser Nurnberg which was surrendered as war reparations. The Nurnberg became the Admiral Makarov sometime in 1946.

Thanks again for your help.

Doug

[Taz]

The ship was constructed at the 61 Communards shipyard, Nikolaevsk, USSR. On 15 October 1936 she was laid down according to project 7, laid down again according to project 7U on 3 March 1939, launched on 26 August 1939 and finally entered the inventory on 7 June 1941.
She took an active part in WWII.
Her first combat raid was made against Konstantsa, the Soobrazitelny backed up the damaged Kharkov flagship.
The Soobrazitelny escorted transports to Odessa and was giving fire support to the Soviet troops and repelling numerous air attacks for three days then. On 23 September participated in the Besposhadny destroyer rescue mission. Further she convoyed a great deal of transports, carried out landing operations, shelled enemy lines and repelled air attacks. In winter 1942 the ship’s hull was severely damaged in a storm. Right after the overhaul she went on a troop-carrying mission to Sevastopol, got into a storm again and was damaged in the same way as before. From May 25 the ship participated in battle for Sevastopol again. On 27 June the Soobrazitelny escorted the damaged Tashkent flagship. On 2 July found herself under massed air attack of German aviation on Novorossisk. Fortunately, she got only minor damages. The ship raided Romanian shores in the end of November 1942. She was honored with the Guards title on 2 March 1943. During the Yalta conference in February 1945 she patrolled an area to the south from Livadia. The ship had been undergoing an overhaul from 18 December 1945 till 25 August 1947. She had been modified from 1951 till 1958, renamed to SDK-1 in 1956 and SS-16 in 1957. She was laid up in 1960, reconstructed into CL-3 target-vessel on 19 March 1966. The Soobrazitelny was withdrawn from the inventory and scrapped in the same year.
In 1941-43 she was painted gray. Smokestack cowls were black, nameplate – bronze, side number – white. The ship was covered with camouflage in 1943.

Specifications:

Displacement 2129 t
Waterline length 112.5 m
Width 10.2 m
Draft 5.05 m
Shaft rating 54000 hp
Speed, max 36.8 knots
Armament: 4 130 mm
2 76 mm
7 37 mm AA machine guns
4 12.7 mm DShK MGs
2 12.7 mm coaxial Colt-Browning MGs
6 torpedo launchers
58 KB mines (or 62 1926 type, or 96 1912 type)
2 BMB-1 mortars
2 lever motion bomb-droppers
Crew 271


Eddie.

[AlexF.]

Admiral Vorkov also had an extensive library of war memoirs by most prominent (and not quite) military and naval commanders, all first editions, and all inscribed to him with respect by authors... That library was brought here and sold 10+ years ago. Nice collection of first class autographs!

- Alex.

[Doug]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the great info. I really appreciate the help. Anyone have any idea where I might find a photograph of Admiral Vorkov?

All the best,

Doug