Where Margelov is buried. The ancestor of the winged infantry

On August 2, blue splashes across Russian cities, as well as water from park fountains. The most publicly connected branch of the military will celebrate the holiday. "Defend Russia" recalls the legendary "Uncle Vasya" - the one who created the Airborne Forces in their modern form.

There are no other divisions of the Russian army about such a number of myths and tales as about "Uncle Vasya's troops". It seems that the strategic aviation flies the farthest, the presidential regiment mints a step like robots, space troops know how to look beyond the horizon, the GRU special forces are the worst of all, strategic missile carriers are capable of destroying entire cities. But "there are no impossible tasks - there are landing troops."

There were many commanders of the Airborne Forces, but the most important commander was one.

Vasily Margelov was born in 1908. Until Yekaterinoslav 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 enter 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 division of the people's militia, and 4 months later, very far away - on skis - he began to create the Airborne Forces.

As the commander of a special ski regiment of the Baltic Fleet marines, Margelov made sure that the vests were transferred from the marines to the "winged". Already the 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 headed 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 efficient troops in the entire huge Soviet army.

Margelov was not formally paratrooper number one during his entire service. His history of relations 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 had two (1959-1961). True, unlike the admiral, who survived two disgraces, lost and received titles again, Margelov did not lose, but only grew by them, becoming an army general in 1967.

During the Great Patriotic War, the Airborne Forces were more tied to the ground. The infantry became winged under the command of Margelov.

First, "Uncle Vasya" jumped himself. During his service, he made more than 60 jumps - the last time in 65 years.

Margelov significantly increased the mobility of the Airborne Forces (in Ukraine, for example, they are called airborne troops). Actively working with the military-industrial complex, the commander achieved the putting into service of aircraft and An-76, which even today release parachute dandelions into the sky. New parachute and shooting systems were developed for the paratroopers - the massive AK-74 was "cut" to.

They began landing not only people, but also military equipment - due to the enormous weight, parachute systems of several canopies with the placement of jet thrust engines were developed, which worked out for a short period of time when approaching the ground, thus extinguishing the landing speed.

In 1969, the first Russian airborne combat vehicle was adopted. Floating tracked BMD-1 was intended for landing - including using parachutes - from An-12 and Il-76. In 1973, the world's first landing on 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 a 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 certainly be considered cool "signalmen."

Andropov clearly understood the need to improve the image of the department, which inherited the memory of the people of the Stalinist repressive machine. Margelov was not up to the image, but it was with him that they came out that created their positive image. It was the commander who insisted that "In the zone of special attention" the fighters of the group of captain Tarasov, as part of the exercises conducting reconnaissance in the rear of the imaginary enemy, wear blue berets - a symbol of the paratroopers, obviously unmasking the scouts, but creating an image.

Vasily Margelov died at the age of 81, several months before the collapse of the USSR. Four of the five sons of Margelov linked their lives with the army.

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Biography, life story of Vasily Filippovich Margelov

Margelov Vasily Filippovich - Soviet military leader, Hero of the Soviet Union.

Childhood, family

Vasily was born on December 27 (December 14, new style), 1908 in Yekaterinoslav (now this city is called Dnepropetrovsk) in the family of Philip Ivanovich Markelov, just a metallurgist, and Agafya Stepanovna, a loving wife and caring mother. In addition to Vasily, three more children were born in the family - Ivan (older than Vasily), Nikolai (the youngest son) and the girl Maria. Initially, Vasily bore the surname Markelov, but later, due to an error in his party card, he became known under the surname Margelov.

In 1923, the family of Vasily moved from Yekaterinoslav to the small town of Kostyukovichi (Mogilev province). The father of the family once lived here.

Education, employment

In 1921, Vasily Margelov graduated from a parish school, there is also information that he attended classes at a school for rural youth. As a teenager, Vasily already tried to help his family, working as a loader, then as a carpenter. After school, Vasily became a master's apprentice in a leather workshop, and soon became his assistant. For some time he worked as a laborer at the Khlebprodukt plant, was a forwarding agent for the delivery of postal shipments on the Kostyukovichi-Khotimsk line.

In 1924, Vasily became a laborer at the Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin mine, a little later he received the position of a horseman (a man driving horses).

In 1925, Margelov became a forester at the timber industry enterprise. Within a couple of years, he achieved the respect and trust of his comrades-in-arms and became chairman of the working committee of the timber industry.

Military service

In 1928, Vasily Filippovich was drafted into the Red Army. To begin with, he was sent to Minsk to study at the United Belarusian Military School. The young man was enrolled in a group of snipers. Already in the second year of training, Margelov became the foreman of a machine-gun company. In the spring of 1931, Vasily successfully completed his studies at a military school and was appointed commander of a machine-gun platoon. In the winter of 1934, he became assistant company commander, and in the spring of 1936, he himself became the commander of a machine-gun company. In 1938 he became the battalion commander of an infantry regiment, was the commander of the infantry division's reconnaissance and chief of staff.

CONTINUED BELOW

In the period from 1939 to 1940, Margelov was the commander of the Separate Reconnaissance Ski Battalion. During one of the military operations, Vasily Filippovich captured several officers of the Swedish General Staff. After the Soviet-Finnish war was over, Margelov became an assistant regiment commander for combat units.

In July 1941, when the Great Patriotic War began, Margelov was appointed commander of the Guards Rifle Regiment of the People's Militia of the Leningrad Front.

In November 1941, Vasily Margelov became the commander of the sailors' ski regiment. Vasily very quickly found a common language with the Marines, although many doubted that the team would take him for their own. Vasily Filippovich, marveling at the strength of the marines, made sure that the paratroopers also wore vests.

During the war, Vasily Margelov performed many feats: in 1943, under his leadership, soldiers broke through two enemy lines of defense, under his command, Kherson and some territories of Southeastern Europe were liberated. For his valor and courage in March 1944 he was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the end of the war, Vasily Filippovich worked mainly in command positions in the Airborne Forces. In 1959, he was demoted to deputy commander of the Airborne Forces due to an outrageous incident in his regiment (rape of civilian women), but after a couple of years he rose again to the rank of commander.

In October 1967, Margelov was awarded the honorary military rank of General of the Army.

At the beginning of 1979, Vasily Filippovich became a member of the general inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Throughout his military career as a member of the Airborne Forces, Margelov has made more than sixty jumps, and the last time he jumped at the age of sixty-five.

Death

Vasily Filippovich Margelov died on March 4, 1990 from natural causes. The body of the commander was buried in Moscow (it was in this city that Margelov lived and worked in the last years of his life) at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Personal life

Vasily Margelov was married three times. The first wife was called Maria. She left her husband, leaving him in the care of her son Gennady (born in 1931). The name of the second wife is Feodosia Efremovna Selitskaya. She gave birth to Vasily two sons - Anatoly (born in 1938) and Vitaly (born in 1941). The third wife of Margelova, Anna Alexandrovna Kurakina, was a doctor. In marriage, Vasily and Anna had twin boys, Alexander and Vasily (born in 1945).

Awards and prizes

Vasily Margelov in his time was awarded a great many honorary awards. So, he received as many as four orders

DECEMBER 2008 CELEBRATED THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTHDAY OF THE LEGENDARY COMMANDER OF THE AIRCRAFT FORCES (VDV) Hero of the Soviet Union Vasily Filippovich Margelov.

“Anyone who has never left a plane in his life, whence cities and villages seem like toys, who have never experienced the joy and fear of a free fall, whistling in their ears, a stream of wind beating in their chest, will never understand the honor and pride of a paratrooper. .. "
V.F. Margelov

Vasily Filippovich Margelov was born on December 27 (January 9), 1908 in Yekaterinoslav (now - Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine). Father - Philip Ivanovich Markelov - a metallurgical worker. The surname Margelov "received" because of a mistake made by the official in the party card - his surname was written down with "g". Mother - Agafya Stepanovna - as they say now, a housewife.

In the Red Army since 1928. Was sent to study as a commander at the United Belarusian Military School (OBVS) named after the Central Executive Committee of the Belarusian SSR in Minsk.

In 1931 he graduated from the Minsk military school (former OBVSH). He served as a platoon, company, battalion commander. Member of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940. In the Great Patriotic War - the commander of a rifle regiment, chief of staff and deputy commander of a rifle division. Since 1944 - commander of the 49th Guards Rifle Division of the 28th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. He directed the actions of the division during the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kherson, for which in March 1944 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Under his command, the 49th Guards Rifle Division participated in the liberation of the peoples of South-Eastern Europe.

With the name V.F. Margelov, many bright pages of the history of the Airborne Forces of our country are inextricably linked.

In 1948, after graduating from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR named after K.E. Voroshilova V.F. Margelov appointed commander of the 76th Guards Chernigov Red Banner Airborne Division.

In 1950-1954 - commander of the 37th Guards Airborne Svirsky Red Banner Corps, stationed in the Far East.

From 1954 to 1959 - commander of the Airborne Forces.

The commander of the 49th Guards Rifle Division V.F. Margelov

In 1959, Vasily Filippovich was demoted as First Deputy Commander of the Airborne Forces.

In 1961 V.F. Margelov was re-appointed to the post of commander of the Airborne Forces, which he held until January 1979.

Since 1979 - in the group of general inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense.

Having assumed the post of commander of the Airborne Forces, Margelov took over troops, consisting mainly of infantry with light weapons and military transport aviation (as part of the Airborne Forces), equipped with Li-2, Il-14, Tu-2 and Tu-4 with significantly limited amphibious capabilities. In fact, the Airborne Forces were not able to solve major tasks in military operations.

As the commander of the Airborne Forces, V.F. Margelov said: “To fulfill their role in modern operations, it is necessary that our formations and units be highly maneuverable, covered with armor, have sufficient fire efficiency, are well controlled, capable of landing at any time of the day and quickly switch to active combat operations after landing. This, by and large, is the ideal we should strive for. "

It was necessary to bridge the gap between the theory of the combat use of the Airborne Forces and the existing organizational structure of the troops, as well as the capabilities of military transport aviation.

To achieve the set goals, under the leadership of V.F. Margelova, the concept of the role and place of the Airborne Forces in modern strategic operations in various theaters of military operations. On this topic, Margelov wrote a number of works, and also successfully defended his Ph.D. thesis. In practical terms, exercises and command camps of the Airborne Forces were regularly held.

V.F. Margelov initiated the creation at the enterprises of the military-industrial complex of serial production of landing gear, heavy parachute platforms, parachute systems and containers for landing cargo, cargo and human parachutes, parachute devices. "You cannot order equipment, so try to create reliable parachutes during testing in design bureaus, industry, and trouble-free operation of heavy airborne equipment," Margelov said when assigning tasks to his subordinates.

Especially for the needs of the Airborne Forces in the post-war years, new military equipment was developed and modernized: airborne self-propelled artillery mount ASU-76 (1949), light - ASU-57 (1951), floating - ASU-57P (1954), self-propelled installation ASU-85, combat vehicle of the Airborne Forces BMD-1 (1969). On the basis of the BMD-1, a large family of vehicles was developed: the 2S9 Nona self-propelled gun, 1V119 Rheostat artillery fire control vehicles, the BTR-D multipurpose armored personnel carrier, the BREM-D repair and recovery vehicle, and others. New samples were taken into service weapons and communications.

By the end of the 1950s, new An-8 and An-12 aircraft were adopted, with a carrying capacity of up to 10-12 tons and a sufficient flight range, which made it possible to drop large groups of personnel with standard military equipment and weapons. Later, through the efforts of V.F. Margelova The Airborne Forces have mastered the landing of the new An-22 and Il-76 military transport aircraft.

Commander of the Airborne Forces in the troops

The troops were armed with various parachute platforms designed for parachuting military equipment, cars and various cargoes. Parachute-jet landing gear was created, due to the jet thrust created by the engine, allowing the speed of the landing of the cargo to be brought closer to zero. Such systems made it possible to significantly reduce the cost of landing due to the rejection of a large number of large-area domes.

On January 5, 1973, for the first time in world practice in the USSR, a parachute-platform landing was carried out in the Centaur complex from an An-12B BMD-1 military transport aircraft with two crew members on board. The crew commander was Vasily Filippovich's son, Major Alexander Vasilyevich Margelov, and the driver was Lieutenant Colonel Leonid Gavrilovich Zuev.

January 23, 1976, also for the first time in world practice, dropped from the same type of aircraft, made a soft landing of the BMD-1 on the parachute-jet system in the Reaktavr complex, also with two crew members on board - Major Alexander Vasilyevich Margelov and Lieutenant Colonel Shcherbakov Leonid Ivanovich. The landing was carried out with a huge risk to life, without individual means of rescue. 20 years later, for the feat of the 1970s, both were awarded the title of Hero of Russia.

It was V.F. Margelov achieved the introduction of the now famous blue beret and white and blue vest into the uniform of paratroopers. Everyone who served in the Airborne Forces is proud of these attributes.

Vasily Filippovich was awarded 13 orders and 19 medals of the Soviet Union, among them four Orders of Lenin, 34 orders and medals of foreign states. The name of V.F. Margelova wears the Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School (military institute), an area in Ryazan, streets of Omsk, Pskov and Tula. Monuments have been erected to him in Ryazan, Omsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Tula, St. Petersburg. Officers and paratroopers, veterans of the Airborne Forces every year come to the grave of their Commander at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow, where a monument is also erected to pay tribute to his memory.

Having passed the way from the commander of the formation to the commander of the Airborne Forces, V.F. Margelov turned the Airborne Forces into the elite of the Armed Forces. And it is no coincidence that to this day the abbreviation "Airborne Forces" is being revealed both jokingly and seriously, like "Uncle Vasya's Troops", and Margelov's winged words: "Nobody but us!" Have become the paratroopers' motto for all times.

In honor of the 100th anniversary of the Commander's birth, 2008 was declared the year of Vasily Filippovich Margelov in the Airborne Forces.

Material prepared
Information Service
and public relations of the Airborne Forces

Heroes of the Great Patriotic War

Margelov Vasily Filippovich

Vasily Filippovich Markelov was born on December 27, 1908 in the city of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine), into a family of immigrants from Belarus. Father - Philip Ivanovich Markelov, a metallurgical worker.

Vasily Filippovich's surname "Markelov" was subsequently recorded as "Margelov" due to an error in his party card.

In 1913, the Margelov family returned to the homeland of Philip Ivanovich - to the town of Kostyukovichi in the Klimovichi district (Mogilev province). VF Margelov's mother, Agafya Stepanovna, was from the neighboring Bobruisk district. According to some reports, V.F.Margelov graduated from the parish school in 1921. As a teenager he worked as a loader, carpenter. In the same year he entered a leather workshop as an apprentice, and soon became an assistant to the master. In 1923 he entered the local "Khleboprodukt" as a laborer. There is information that he graduated from a school for rural youth, and worked as a forwarding agent for the delivery of mail on the Kostyukovichi-Hotimsk line.

Since 1924 he worked in Yekaterinoslav at the mine named after I. MI Kalinin as a laborer, then a horseman, a driver of horses carrying trolleys.

In 1925, Margelov was sent again to the BSSR, as a forester in the timber industry. He worked in Kostyukovichi, in 1927 he became the chairman of the working committee of the timber industry and was elected to the local Council.

In 1928, Margelov was drafted into the Red Army. Sent to study at the United Belarusian Military School (OBVSH) named after A. Central Executive Committee of the BSSR in Minsk, enrolled in a group of snipers. From the second year he was a foreman of a machine-gun company.

In April 1931 he graduated with honors from the Order of the Red Banner of Labor of the United Belarusian Military School named after I. Central Executive Committee of the BSSR, appointed commander of the machine gun platoon of the regimental school of the 99th rifle regiment of the 33rd territorial rifle division in the city of Mogilev, Belarus. Since 1933, he was a platoon commander in the Order of the Red Banner of Labor OBVS them. Central Executive Committee of the BSSR (from November 6, 1933 - named after MI Kalinin, from 1937 - the Order of the Red Banner of Labor Minsk Military Infantry School named after MI Kalinin). In February 1934, Margelov was appointed assistant company commander, in May 1936 - the commander of a machine-gun company.

From October 25, 1938, he commanded the 2nd battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment of the 8th Infantry Division. Dzerzhinsky Belarusian Special Military District. He headed the reconnaissance of the 8th rifle division, being the chief of the 2nd branch of the division headquarters. In this position he participated in the Polish campaign of the Red Army in 1939.

Vasily Filippovich Margelov with paratroopers

During the Soviet-Finnish war (1939-1940) Margelov commanded the Separate reconnaissance ski battalion of the 596th rifle regiment of the 122nd division. During one of the operations, he captured the officers of the Swedish General Staff.

After the end of the Soviet-Finnish war, he was appointed assistant commander of the 596th regiment for combat units. Since October 1940 - the commander of the 15th separate disciplinary battalion of the Leningrad Military District.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, in July 1941 he was appointed commander of the 3rd Guards Rifle Regiment of the 1st Guards Division of the People's Militia of the Leningrad Front. Later - commander of the 13th Guards Rifle Regiment, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander of the 3rd Guards Rifle Division. After the division commander P.G. Chanchibadze was wounded, the command was transferred to Chief of Staff Vasily Margelov during his treatment. Under the leadership of Margelov, on July 17, 1943, the soldiers of the 3rd Guards Division broke through 2 Nazi defense lines on the Mius Front, captured the village of Stepanovka and provided a foothold for the assault on Saur-Mogila.

Since 1944, Margelov commanded the 49th Guards Rifle Division of the 28th Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. He directed the actions of the division during the crossing of the Dnieper and the liberation of Kherson, for which in March 1944 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Under his command, the 49th Guards Rifle Division participated in the liberation of the peoples of South-Eastern Europe.

At the Victory Parade in Moscow, Guards Major General Margelov commanded the combined regiment of the 2nd Ukrainian Front.

In the Airborne Forces

After the war, he held command positions.

Since 1948, after graduating from the Order of Suvorov I degree of the Higher Military Academy named after K. E. Voroshilov, he was the commander of the 76th Guards Chernigov Red Banner Airborne Division.

In 1950-1954 he was the commander of the 37th Guards Airborne Svirsky Red Banner Corps in the Far East.

From 1954 to 1959 - commander of the Airborne Forces. In 1959-1961, he was appointed (with demotion) first deputy commander of the Airborne Forces. From 1961 to January 1979 he was the commander of the Airborne Forces.

On October 28, 1967 he was awarded the military rank of "General of the Army". Supervised the actions of the Airborne Forces during the entry of troops into Czechoslovakia (Operation "Danube").

Since January 1979, he was in the group of general inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense. He went on business trips to the Airborne Forces, was the chairman of the State Examination Commission at the Ryazan Airborne School.

During his service in the Airborne Forces, he made more than 60 jumps. The last of them is at the age of 65.

Lived and worked in the city of Moscow. He died on March 4, 1990. He was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.

Vasily Filippovich Margelov

Contribution to the formation and development of the Airborne Forces

In the history of the Airborne Forces, and in the Armed Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union, his name will remain forever. He personified a whole era in the development and formation of the Airborne Forces, their authority and popularity are associated with his name not only in our country, but also abroad, General Pavel Fedoseevich Pavlenko recalls Vasily Filippovich.

Under more than twenty years of Margelov's command, the airborne troops have become one of the most mobile in the combat structure. Armed Forces and prestigious from the point of view of service in them. “The photograph of Vasily Filippovich in the demobilization albums came from the soldiers at the highest price - for a set of badges. The competition in the Ryazan Airborne School overlapped the figures of VGIK and GITIS, and applicants who were cut off at the exams for two or three months, before the snow and frost, lived in the forests near Ryazan in the hope that someone would not withstand the loads and it would be possible to take his place ... The spirit of the troops soared so high that the rest of the Soviet Army was enlisted in the category of "solarium" and "screws", "says Colonel Nikolai Fedorovich Ivanov.

Margelov's contribution to the formation of the Airborne Forces in their current form was reflected in the comic decoding of the abbreviation of the Airborne Forces - "Uncle Vasya's Troops".

The initiator and founder of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov personifies the image of the USSR Airborne Forces. Among the servicemen who are related to these troops, he is paratrooper No. 1. He is a Hero of the USSR and a laureate of the State Prize.

Childhood and adolescence

Vasily Filippovich Margelov was born in the city of Yekaterinoslav (Dnepropetrovsk) on December 27, 1908 (January 9 in a new style). His father, Philip Ivanovich, worked as a metallurgist, his mother, Agafya Stepanovna, was engaged in the house and garden.

The family of the future general is from Belarus. In 1913 they returned to their homeland (Mogilev province). According to some reports, Vasily graduated from a church school in 1921. He started working as a loader, then tried his hand at carpentry. In the same year he went to study leathercraft in a workshop. In the twenty-third year, the future general got a job as an auxiliary worker at the Khlebprodukt enterprise. At the same time he studied at the school for rural youth. Then he worked as a freight forwarder, delivering mail and various cargoes along the Kostyukovichi - Hotimsk line.

In 1924 he got a job as a laborer, then as a horseman in Yekaterinoslav at the Kalinin mine. Since 1927 - chairman of the timber industry committee and member of the local council of the Kostyukovichi. In 1925 he was sent to Belarus, to the timber industry.

The beginning of military service

Vasily Margelov, whose biography is set out in this article, was drafted into the army in 1928. There he was sent to study at the OBVSh (United Belarusian Military School), which was located in Minsk. Was enrolled in a sniper group. In his second year he became the foreman of a machine-gun company.

In the spring of 1931 he graduated from the OBVSH with honors and the management appointed him commander of the machine-gun crew of the 99th Regiment of the 33rd Infantry Division. In 1933 he became a platoon commander, the next year he was appointed a company assistant commander. In 1936, the future general was already in charge of a machine-gun company. From the autumn of 1938 he commanded the second battalion of the 23rd regiment of the 8th rifle division. He headed intelligence, being the chief of the second section of the division headquarters. While in this position, he took part in the Polish campaign of the Red Army in 1939.

The feat of Margelov

Vasily Margelov became a real legend during his lifetime. During the war with the Finns, he commanded a reconnaissance ski battalion (122nd division), making several raids behind enemy lines. During one of them, the future general was able to capture several officers of the German General Staff, who were officially (at that time) allies of the Soviet Union.

In 1941 he was made commander of a Marine Regiment in the Baltic Fleet. There were opinions that the "land officer" would not be able to take root in the navy. Margelov's regiment was considered the "Guard of Admiral Tributs", he sent it to besieged Leningrad even in those places where it was difficult to send the penal battalion.

For example, when the Nazis stormed the Pulkovo Heights, Margelov's regiment landed in the rear of the Germans on the shores of Lake Ladoga. The Marines showed heroism and forced the Germans to stop storming Pulkovo in order to resist the Russian landing. Major Margelov was seriously wounded, but survived.

Further exploits

In 1943 Vasily Filippovich Margelov was already a division commander, stormed the Saur-Mogila, and took part in the liberation of Kherson. In 1945, the Nazis gave him the nickname - "Soviet Skorzeny". This happened after the famous German tank divisions "Great Germany" and "Death's Head" surrendered to him without a fight.

In early May 1945, the command set a task for Margelov: to destroy or capture the remnants of the famous SS units that wanted to break through to the Americans. Vasily Margelov dared to take a dangerous step. He, with a small group of officers armed with machine guns and grenades, with a battery of cannons, crept up to the enemy headquarters and ordered to open fire if he did not return in 10 minutes.

The brave man went to the German headquarters and issued an ultimatum: surrender and save life or be destroyed. I gave little time to think - until the lit cigarette runs out. The fascists have surrendered.

In the airborne forces

At the victory parade in Moscow, the founder of the Airborne Forces Vasily Margelov commanded a regiment of the Second Ukrainian Front. After defeating the Nazis, Vasily Margelov, whose biography is set out in this article, continued his service.

1950-1954 was the commander of the 37th Svirsky airborne corps. From 1954 to 1959 commanded the airborne forces of the Soviet Union. In 1964, being impressed by the movie "This is a sports life", he introduced rugby into the training program for paratroopers.

On October 28, 1967, he was promoted to Army General. He commanded paratroopers during the entry of troops into Czechoslovakia. For all the time of his service, he made more than sixty parachute jumps, the last when he was sixty-five years old. Thus, he set a personal example for his subordinates.

Contribution to the development of the Airborne Forces

The name of Margelov will forever remain in the history of the Airborne Forces of Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. His persona personifies the era of development and formation of the Airborne Forces. Their popularity and authority both in our country and abroad are forever associated with his name.

General Vasily Margelov realized that military operations behind enemy lines could be carried out by mobile and maneuverable paratroopers. He always rejected the installation of holding the areas captured by the landing force until the approach of the troops that were advancing from the front. In this case, the paratroopers could be quickly destroyed.

Vasily Margelov led the USSR Airborne Forces for more than 20 years, and thanks to his merits, they became one of the most mobile troops in the structure of the country's Armed Forces. The general's contribution to the formation of the Airborne Forces was reflected in the playful decoding of this abbreviation - "Uncle Vasya's Troops."

Airborne role concept

In military theory, it was believed that in order to use nuclear strikes and maintain a high pace during an offensive, it was necessary to use amphibious troops. In such conditions, the airborne troops must comply with the strategic goals of military conflicts and meet the political goals of the country.

Margelov believed that in order to fulfill their role in operations, it was necessary that Soviet formations were maneuverable, covered with armor, perfectly controllable, had fire efficiency, could land behind enemy lines at any time of the day and proceed to combat immediately. One should strive for such an ideal, as the famous general believed.

Under his leadership, the concept of the place and role of the Airborne Forces in military operations was developed. He wrote many works on this topic and defended his dissertation.

Armament of the airborne troops

Time passed, and more and more there was a need to bridge the gap between the theory of the use of airborne troops and the stratified structure of troops and the capabilities of military transport aviation. Becoming commander, Vasily Margelov (Airborne Forces) received at his disposal troops, which consisted of lightly armed infantry and aviation, equipped with Il-14, Li-2, Tu-4 aircraft. Opportunities were severely limited and the military was unable to tackle serious tasks.

The general began by initiating the mass production of landing gear, parachute systems and platforms, as well as containers for cargo. For the Airborne Forces, modifications of weapons were developed that were easy to parachute - a folding stock, light weight.

Also, specially for the Airborne Forces, military equipment was modernized: self-propelled landing guns ASU-76, ASU-57, ASU-57P, ASU-85, tracked vehicle BMD-1 and others. Also developed were radio stations, anti-tank systems, reconnaissance vehicles. Anti-aircraft systems were equipped with armored personnel carriers, they accommodated calculations with ammunition and portable systems.

Closer to the 60s, the AN-8 and An-12 aircraft entered service with the landing force, with a carrying capacity of up to twelve tons, they could fly over long distances. A little later, the airborne troops received the AN-22 and IL-76 aircraft.

Everlasting memory

After retirement, Vasily Margelov lived in Moscow. "Uncle Vasya" passed away on March 4, 1990. He was buried at the Novodevichy cemetery. The monument to Vasily Margelov was erected in Tyumen. There are also monuments in his honor in Krivoy Rog, Dnepropetrovsk, Kherson, Chisinau, Ryazan, Kostyukovichi, Omsk, Ulyanovsk, Tula, St. Petersburg.

In Taganrog there is a memorial plaque dedicated to the general. The officers and soldiers of the airborne troops annually visit the monument to "Uncle Vasya" at the Novodevichy cemetery and pay tribute to his memory.