08-10-2011, 12:36 AM
Gents,
A stunning image of a top-notch combat leader. Guards Colonel V. M. Gorelov rose from very humble beginnings as an orphan to command the 1st Guards Tank Brigade for two years.
When subsequently serving as Deputy Commander of the 8th Guards Mechanized Corps, 1st Guards Tank Army he would meet his untimely end at age 35.
Over the years, 1st Guards Tank Brigade veterans have come forward with a heretofore unpublished account of how Gorelov met his demise. On January 28th, 1945 while in the field to inspect subordinate corps units, he entered a small village where he came upon subordinate troops engaged in a heavy bout of drinking - "Pyanka" in Russian. When Gorelov attempted to break it up, one of the officers involved killed him.
According to the veterans, after his murder those present at the scene immediately convened a field tribunal which decided to summarily execute the perpetrator by firing squad.
Gorelov's awards included the HSU Star, two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, two Orders of the Red Star and a British decoration described as being from the "third class."
He was awarded his HSU title on April 26, 1944.
Regards,
slava1stclass
A stunning image of a top-notch combat leader. Guards Colonel V. M. Gorelov rose from very humble beginnings as an orphan to command the 1st Guards Tank Brigade for two years.
When subsequently serving as Deputy Commander of the 8th Guards Mechanized Corps, 1st Guards Tank Army he would meet his untimely end at age 35.
Over the years, 1st Guards Tank Brigade veterans have come forward with a heretofore unpublished account of how Gorelov met his demise. On January 28th, 1945 while in the field to inspect subordinate corps units, he entered a small village where he came upon subordinate troops engaged in a heavy bout of drinking - "Pyanka" in Russian. When Gorelov attempted to break it up, one of the officers involved killed him.
According to the veterans, after his murder those present at the scene immediately convened a field tribunal which decided to summarily execute the perpetrator by firing squad.
Gorelov's awards included the HSU Star, two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, two Orders of the Red Star and a British decoration described as being from the "third class."
He was awarded his HSU title on April 26, 1944.
Regards,
slava1stclass
