Alexander Margelov
Vasily Margelov
Vasily Margelov. Trooper No. 1
In memory of the Man of Honor - Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General
MARGELOV Vasily Filippovich,
our father, with gratitude and best wishes to veterans of all wars, today and future defenders of our Fatherland.
Zolotov Semyon Mitrofanovich, Kukushkin Alexey Vasilievich, Kraev Vladimir Stepanovich, Gudz Pavel Danilovich, Bardeev Igor Aleksandrovich, Shcherbakov Leonid Ivanovich, Orlov Georgy Alexandrovich, Borisov Mikhail Ivanovich, Kostin Boris Akimovich, Dvugroshev Yuri Ivanovich, from Boris Antonovich, Volgar Vladimir Ivanovich, Shevchenko Nikolai Arsentievich, Alexey Semenovich Kurteev, Nikolay Pavlovich Molchanov, Vladimir Andreevich Markelov, Alexey Petrovich Lushnikov, Boris Georgievich Zhukov, Sharip Khabeevich Minigulov, Gennady Vasilievich Ryabov, Vladimir Denisovich Paramonov, Vladimir Yakovlevich Anpilogov, Melkov Gennady Trofimovich, Dyachenko Alexey Alexandrovich, Burov Valentin Ivanovich, Palatnikov Alexander Samoilovich, Gnilenko Valery Pavlovich, Ponizovsky Vladimir Semenovich, Ismailov Agamekhti Mamed ogly (Mikhail Mikhailovich), Tamindarov Khusnutdin Shaikhutdinovich, Kostenko Yuri Petrovich, Skrynnikov Mikhail Fedorovich, whose materials and memories were used in the book and those who helped in collecting them, a also to those who assisted the authors in preparing this book for publication - first of all, Yuri Ivanovich Igrinev, Sergei Vasilievich Dronov and Valery Nikolaevich Zakharenkov. Special thanks to the grandson of Army General Margelov, reserve officer Alexander Alexandrovich, an excellent computer scientist, without whose help the book would have appeared much later.
We bow our heads to the blessed memory of Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko, Ivan Ivanovich Lisov, Oleg Fedorovich Kulishev, Valery Fedorovich Shubin, Ivan Nikolaevich Davydov, Vladimir Dmitrievich Doronin, Nikolai Sergeevich Mikhalev.
Their memories of Vasily Filippovich Margelov are a tribute to the outstanding military leader and parting words to the current defenders of the Fatherland.
After the publication of the book “Army General V.F. Margelov” (Publishing house "Polygrafresursy", Moscow, 1998) many readers asked to write a book about the service of Vasily Filippovich Margelov in the Airborne Forces of the USSR - from his first steps as an airborne paratrooper to the Commander of the Airborne Forces.
The first written request of this kind was a letter from Igor Nikolaevich Sheptukhin from the city of Odintsovo, Moscow region, which the authors took the liberty of reproducing in full:
“Dear Alexander Vasilyevich, hello!
I read your book “Army General Margelov”. Thank you very much for it. People like your father, Vasily Filippovich, are the golden fund of our country, its pride, honor, glory! The memory of General Margelov will live forever! In our difficult times, Vasily Filippovich serves as an example of a true Russian officer not only for the Airborne Forces, but also for our entire long-suffering Army. Our growing youth, who seem to have other guidelines, should also know about such people. These are the kind of books she should be raised on!
Unfortunately, I did not have to throw in my lot with the Airborne Forces, but my dad served for 8 years, first in the 114th Vienna Airborne Division, and then in the 103rd Vitebsk Airborne Division. It was thanks to his stories about the Airborne Forces that my love for these troops came to me. Your book has become a real gift for me.
With your permission, I have a request to ask you. You should definitely write another book to cover all the years of Vasily Filippovich’s work in the Airborne Forces in more detail. The book “Army General Margelov” is wonderful, but there is too little about the paratrooper Margelov.
That's all I wanted to write. Once again thank you very much for your book. Please accept the poem about “Trooper No. 1” as a sign of respect; believe me, it was written with all my heart!
Goodbye, best regards,
Sheptukhin Igor Nikolaevich."
Naturally, with deep gratitude from the entire Margelov family, as well as from many other people, completely different in relation to military service, age and education, the authors present this wonderful poem.
V.F. Margelov In the history of the glorious landing there are many brave commanders, But the first on the list is the legendary Vasil Filippovich Margelov!
There were many other reviews: written, at meetings, by telephone... Veterans of the Great Patriotic War and other wars, veterans of military service, purely civilian people sent and conveyed their memories, comments, and suggestions for the new edition of the book. The authors are very grateful to all such readers. Even to someone who, after reading the book, somehow warily asked if it was a political worker who wrote the book. The authors were not political workers, so they were surprised to ask what led him to such thoughts. It turns out that he did not like the frequent mention in the text of the glorious military deeds of soldiers - political workers, communists and Komsomol members. It was necessary to recall that during the Great War, soldiers considered it an honor to bear these high ranks, and political workers often became yesterday’s soldiers and combatant commanders, the most competent and conscientious. They had one task - to convey to every soldier the political goals of the liberation war against the arrogant invader, and these goals, fortunately, coincided with the goals of the leading party led by the great Stalin. By the way, the enemy also “valued” them highly - when captured, they were threatened with being shot out of turn, without talking... These were the advantages that political workers, communists and Komsomol members had at the front. And their exploits, described in the book, are mainly taken from the memories of the war by soldiers, sergeants and junior commanders (combatants!). So one should not confuse these guys, ready for self-sacrifice, with today’s changelings - the Gorbachevs, Yeltsins and the like, who betrayed themselves, first of all, and betrayed the interests of the working people. Even the word political worker itself has disappeared; now in the army there are educators, as if we live outside of politics. Absurd! The Armed Forces of the country are created to protect it from external enemies. And war, as every more or less literate person should know well, is a continuation of politics by other means.
In memory of the Man of Honor - Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General
MARGELOV Vasily Filippovich,
our father, with gratitude and best wishes to veterans of all wars, today and future defenders of our Fatherland.
Margelovs A.V. and V.V.
Zolotov Semyon Mitrofanovich, Kukushkin Alexey Vasilievich, Kraev Vladimir Stepanovich, Gudz Pavel Danilovich, Bardeev Igor Aleksandrovich, Shcherbakov Leonid Ivanovich, Orlov Georgy Alexandrovich, Borisov Mikhail Ivanovich, Kostin Boris Akimovich, Dvugroshev Yuri Ivanovich, from Boris Antonovich, Volgar Vladimir Ivanovich, Shevchenko Nikolai Arsentievich, Alexey Semenovich Kurteev, Nikolay Pavlovich Molchanov, Vladimir Andreevich Markelov, Alexey Petrovich Lushnikov, Boris Georgievich Zhukov, Sharip Khabeevich Minigulov, Gennady Vasilievich Ryabov, Vladimir Denisovich Paramonov, Vladimir Yakovlevich Anpilogov, Melkov Gennady Trofimovich, Dyachenko Alexey Alexandrovich, Burov Valentin Ivanovich, Palatnikov Alexander Samoilovich, Gnilenko Valery Pavlovich, Ponizovsky Vladimir Semenovich, Ismailov Agamekhti Mamed ogly (Mikhail Mikhailovich), Tamindarov Khusnutdin Shaikhutdinovich, Kostenko Yuri Petrovich, Skrynnikov Mikhail Fedorovich, whose materials and memories were used in the book and those who helped in collecting them, a also to those who assisted the authors in preparing this book for publication - first of all, Yuri Ivanovich Igrinev, Sergei Vasilievich Dronov and Valery Nikolaevich Zakharenkov. Special thanks to the grandson of Army General Margelov, reserve officer Alexander Alexandrovich, an excellent computer scientist, without whose help the book would have appeared much later.
We bow our heads to the blessed memory of Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko, Ivan Ivanovich Lisov, Oleg Fedorovich Kulishev, Valery Fedorovich Shubin, Ivan Nikolaevich Davydov, Vladimir Dmitrievich Doronin, Nikolai Sergeevich Mikhalev.
Their memories of Vasily Filippovich Margelov are a tribute to the outstanding military leader and parting words to the current defenders of the Fatherland.
After the publication of the book “Army General V.F. Margelov” (Publishing house "Polygrafresursy", Moscow, 1998) many readers asked to write a book about the service of Vasily Filippovich Margelov in the Airborne Forces of the USSR - from his first steps as an airborne paratrooper to the Commander of the Airborne Forces.
The first written request of this kind was a letter from Igor Nikolaevich Sheptukhin from the city of Odintsovo, Moscow region, which the authors took the liberty of reproducing in full:
“Dear Alexander Vasilyevich, hello!
I read your book “Army General Margelov”. Thank you very much for it. People like your father, Vasily Filippovich, are the golden fund of our country, its pride, honor, glory! The memory of General Margelov will live forever! In our difficult times, Vasily Filippovich serves as an example of a true Russian officer not only for the Airborne Forces, but also for our entire long-suffering Army. Our growing youth, who seem to have other guidelines, should also know about such people. These are the kind of books she should be raised on!
Unfortunately, I did not have to throw in my lot with the Airborne Forces, but my dad served for 8 years, first in the 114th Vienna Airborne Division, and then in the 103rd Vitebsk Airborne Division. It was thanks to his stories about the Airborne Forces that my love for these troops came to me. Your book has become a real gift for me.
With your permission, I have a request to ask you. You should definitely write another book to cover all the years of Vasily Filippovich’s work in the Airborne Forces in more detail. The book “Army General Margelov” is wonderful, but there is too little about the paratrooper Margelov.
That's all I wanted to write. Once again thank you very much for your book. Please accept the poem about “Trooper No. 1” as a sign of respect; believe me, it was written with all my heart!
Goodbye, best regards,
Sheptukhin Igor Nikolaevich."
Naturally, with deep gratitude from the entire Margelov family, as well as from many other people, completely different in relation to military service, age and education, the authors present this wonderful poem.
V.F. Margelov
In the history of the glorious landing
There are many brave commanders,
But the first one on the list is legendary
Vasil Filippovich Margelov!
Wedded to glory forever,
Having walked the path of hard times,
He is a Patriot, Soldier, Scientist,
Trooper number one!
Great Son of his country,
He served as an example for the soldiers.
He carried the roads of war
The rank of officer is worthy.
Suvorov traditions banner
He held it in his calloused hands.
Taught the soldiers - Victory is with us!
And where it was difficult, he won.
The soldiers loved the commander,
Always noticed everywhere.
For intelligence, courage, prowess, strength
They called Batya lovingly.
“Margelovets” - there is no higher rank!
And they were proud of this title:
They went on a mission with him,
We fought hand-to-hand with him,
Always fought bravely, deftly,
Courage is the key to success.
And Nevskaya Dubrovka remembers
Bayonets of Margelov's Marines!
And in difficult times near Stalingrad
They did a righteous deed.
He did not lead the guards for awards,
For the Motherland, dashing Margelov!
After drinking Dnieper water
And swam across the Dnieper rapids,
They began to fight even more bravely
With the enemy in that terrible time.
Fought in trenches and trenches
Margelovites are holy for the land,
Bravely drove the Germans to the neck
On August 2, blue water will splash across Russian cities, as will water from park fountains. The most connected branch of the military will celebrate the holiday. “Defend Russia” remembers the legendary “Uncle Vasya” - the same one who created the Airborne Forces in their modern form.
There are as many myths and tales as there are about “Uncle Vasya’s troops” about any other unit of the Russian army. It seems that strategic aviation flies the farthest, the presidential regiment paces like robots, the space forces can look beyond the horizon, the GRU special forces are the most terrible, and underwater strategic missile carriers are capable of destroying entire cities. But “there are no impossible tasks - there are airborne troops.” There were many commanders of the Airborne Forces, but they had one most important commander.
Vasily Margelov was born in 1908. Until Ekaterinoslav became Dnepropetrovsk, Margelov worked at a mine, a stud farm, a forestry enterprise and a local deputy council. Only at the age of 20 did he join the army. Measuring career steps and kilometers on the march, he participated in the Polish campaign of the Red Army and the Soviet-Finnish War. In July 1941, the future “Uncle Vasya” became a regiment commander in a people’s militia division, and 4 months later, from a very long distance - on skis - he began the creation of the Airborne Forces.
As the commander of a special ski regiment of the Marines of the Baltic Fleet, Margelov ensured that vests were transferred from the Marine Corps to the “winged” ones. Already division commander Margelov in 1944 became a hero of the Soviet Union for the liberation of Kherson. At the Victory Parade on June 24, 1945, the major general printed a step as part of the columns of the 2nd Ukrainian Front.
Margelov took charge of the Airborne Forces in the year following Stalin's death. He left office three years before Brezhnev's death - an amazing example of team longevity. It was with his command that not only the main milestones in the formation of the airborne troops were associated, but also the creation of their image as the most combat-ready troops in the entire huge Soviet army.
Margelov was technically paratrooper number one not during his entire service. His history of relationships with the post of commander, and with the country and its regime, is similar to the career path of the commander-in-chief of the Soviet fleet, Nikolai Kuznetsov. He also commanded with a short break: Kuznetsov had four years, Margelov two (1959–1961). True, unlike the admiral, who survived two disgraces, lost and received ranks again, Margelov did not lose stars on his shoulder straps, but only grew them, becoming an army general in 1967.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces were more tied to the land. The infantry became winged precisely under the command of Margelov. Firstly, “Uncle Vasya” jumped himself. During his service, he made more than 60 jumps - the last time at 65 years old.
Margelov significantly increased the mobility of the Airborne Forces (in Ukraine, for example, they are called airmobile troops). Actively working with the military-industrial complex, the commander achieved the entry into service of the An-22 and An-76 aircraft, which even today release parachute dandelions into the sky. New parachute and rifle systems were developed for paratroopers - the mass-produced AK-74 was “cut down” to the AKS-74U with a shortened barrel and a folding butt. They began to land not only people, but also military equipment - due to the enormous weight, parachute systems were developed from several domes with the placement of jet thrust engines, which worked for a short period of time when approaching the ground, thus extinguishing the landing speed.
In 1969, the first of the domestic airborne combat vehicles was put into service. The floating tracked BMD-1 was intended for landing - including using parachutes - from An-12 and Il-76. In 1973, the world's first landing using the BMD-1 parachute system took place near Tula. The crew commander was Margelov’s son Alexander, who in the 90s received the title of Hero of Russia for a similar landing in 1976.
In terms of influence on the perception of the subordinate structure by the mass consciousness, Vasily Margelov can be compared with Yuri Andropov. If the term “public relations” existed in the Soviet Union, the commander of the Airborne Forces and the chairman of the KGB would probably be considered classy “signalmen.”
Andropov clearly understood the need to improve the image of the department, which inherited the people's memory of the Stalinist repressive machine. Margelov had no time for image, but it was under him that the most famous films about paratroopers were released, creating their positive image. It was the commander who insisted that, “In the zone of special attention,” the fighters of Captain Tarasov’s group, as part of an exercise conducting reconnaissance behind the lines of a mock enemy, wore blue berets - a symbol of paratroopers, which obviously unmasked the scouts, but created an image.
In rare family newsreels, Vasily Margelov, to whom two German tank corps surrendered without a fight in 1945, does not at all look like a formidable military leader. Belomor Canal cigarettes, vest, riding breeches...
In rare family newsreels, Vasily Margelov, to whom two German tank corps surrendered without a fight in 1945, does not at all look like a formidable military leader. Belomor-Canal cigarettes, vest, riding breeches - everything is like ordinary people. Next to him is his wife Anna Alexandrovna, whom he met in 1941 on the Leningrad Front, and five sons. The last two - Alexander and Vasily - are twins, who later wrote the book “Paratrooper No. 1, Army General Margelov” about their legendary father.
Two St. George's crosses from Father Margelov
Born into an ordinary family of a metallurgist who returned home with two St. George's crosses on his chest and was able to hug his three sons and daughter, Vasily's father became an unconditional example of courage and deliberation. His father taught Vasily that the one who can think and fight wins. These postulates of his father became the main ones for Vasily, he did not leave the enemy a single chance, except one - to surrender in order to continue living.
Mines, forest, ski run to Moscow
But his father’s first commandment - not to lose heart - came in handy for Vasily when he fell into a blockage in the mine where he worked and with his comrades dug out heavy stones. After this, he received a lung disease and was sent as a forester, which also came in handy in his camouflage and shooting skills, which he showed “excellent” after being drafted into the Red Army. He was sent to a military school in Belarus to study to become a Red commander, where he organized a ski run to Moscow. On the way, they lost one cadet and returned, although they had walked several kilometers. Apparently, a strong wind knocked the cadet off his feet, he fell, was immediately covered in snow, and could not get out. After this incident, Margelov walked the rest of the way at the rear, and not first, as was before. Thus, Margelov gradually developed the talent of a military teacher - one must always take care of others more than oneself.
"Great, claws!"
In 1941, Vasily Margelov faced the most difficult test, as he himself wrote: he had to sign several hundred funeral documents at one time. Then he was appointed commander of the first special regiment of sailors of the Baltic Fleet. Margelov already had a significant military burden behind him: the Finnish war, where he became famous by capturing several generals from the enemy General Staff and command of a disciplinary battalion. However, sailors are a special kind of people: they received the land major gloomily. When Vasily saw the frowning faces, he said, not according to the regulations: “Great, claws!” That's all. Of course, they started smiling. He had to become close to his brothers and take on perhaps the most important battle of his life. This happened at the end of November 1941. The Soviet command made another attempt to break the blockade of Leningrad: Margelov's regiment was ordered to attack German positions in the area of Lake Ladoga. An infantry division was also supposed to support the attack of the sailors, but for unknown reasons it did not reach the initial lines in time. In such a difficult situation, Margelov refused to throw his people into battle without support, realizing that they could all die there to no avail, in vain. The head of the special department then told him: “Either Major Margelov will advance, or he will be shot according to the laws of war.” Then Margelov gathered all his commanders and told them that he would not force them into battle, it would be better if they shot him.
Vest - in memory of sailors
Both in peacetime and in wartime, those commanders who take care of their guys and do not hide behind their backs are always respected. The sailors, realizing that the situation was extremely difficult, volunteered to go with their commanders into a deadly attack. On the night of November 27, 1941, they captured the first line of German defense, at the cost of huge losses, they stayed there for several hours, until the command ordered them to retreat to their previous positions. Later, the division command that gave the criminal order was shot. And Margelov personally testified against the division commanders during the trial of the case by the military tribunal. But it was impossible to return the dead. And Vasily understood this, reliving and remembering that terrible night when the sailors followed him. In 1968, in memory of his brothers, Vasily Margelov insisted that a vest be mandatory included in the uniform of paratroopers. And although this caused a certain amount of jealousy on the part of representatives of the navy, Vasily was able to convince the Minister of Defense and his deputies that the paratroopers are continuers of the traditions of the fleet and recognize his, “elder brother’s” primacy in this type of clothing. But gradually these adjustments faded away and for decades paratroopers lovingly wore naked vests, this warm and comfortable clothing for everyday wear.
Margelov always treated his subordinates with care and real respect; he delved into all the details of the soldiers’ life. When in 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Margelov took command of the 13th Infantry Regiment, the first thing he did was go to the canteen, where he discovered that the soldiers’ rations were not so rich and ordered that his additional rations be given to the canteen. Other officers followed this example. It is not surprising that for such care the soldiers sincerely loved their commander, who led them into battle on the Mius Front: they were able to break through the deeply echeloned German defenses in the Saur-Mogila area.
Troops need armor
Vasily Margelov, who returned from the front with the Gold Star of the Hero for the capture of Kherson and the formation of the Dnieper and walked in the Victory Parade on Red Square, graduated from the military academy in 1948 and began the main idea of his life - a radical change in the structure of the airborne troops. He was literally obsessed with the idea of protecting his paratroopers with armor because these troops were usually sent into the thick of things so that, having landed, they would steadfastly hold the defense while awaiting the arrival of the main forces. And if the landing force could not hold out for several precious hours, then this meant one thing - death behind enemy lines. Margelov’s students needed reliable protection: in modern conditions of warfare, there were no longer enough feats based on skillfully throwing several people into the rear who were able to run, crawl and neutralize the enemy. Of course, physical and moral qualities were one of the main conditions for survival during complex operations, but it was necessary to fight in such a way as to avoid human losses as much as possible. And therefore, Margelov harshly raised the question to the Minister of Defense about the need to equip the airborne troops with armored vehicles, artillery, and aviation.
In the 50s, airborne forces in the army also stood for “you’re unlikely to return home.” Margelov walked around many corridors in the military departments. He stood his ground: the troops needed a light armored vehicle, equipped with the most modern weapons, that could be parachuted from an airplane. And such a machine was finally created: in military newsreels you can see how a car falls out of the belly of an An-12 aircraft at an altitude of 800 meters at a flight speed of 300-350 kilometers per hour, the canopy of the parachute opens and it lands successfully, next to In theory, paratroopers were also supposed to land there. But in reality, the two crew members landed at a significant distance from each other, and the location of the vehicle was determined by special signals: a special transceiver device was mounted inside the vehicle and on the chest of the paratroopers. At first glance this seemed like a great success.
