Alexander Golovachev
 10. 12. 1909 - 6. 3. 1945Alexander Golovachev was Commander of the 23rd Guards Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner and the 2nd Class Order of Suvorov of Vasilkov Motor-Rifle Brigade of the 7th Guards Tank Corps of the 3rd Guards Tank Army, Guards Colonel. He was born on December 10, 1909 in Lyubokhna village (now the Bryansk region) in a working class family. Russian. A member of the CPSU (b) since 1931. In the Red / Soviet Army since 1929. In 1932 he graduated from the military school named after All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the RSFSR. A marcher of the Soviet troops in the liberation of Western Ukraine in 1939. At the beginning of World War II, A. Golovachev was Chief of Staff and commander of the infantry regiment. Since August 1942, he commanded the 52nd Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 15th Tank Corps of the 3rd Tank Army, distinguished himself in February 1943 in the Kharkov operation of the Voronezh Front. After giving the team the title of Guards, it was transformed into the 23rd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 7th Guards Tank Corps of the 3rd Guards Tank Army. In the same year, the 23rd Motor Rifle Brigade was surrounded. To break the enemy’s attack ring was impossible. Brigade Commander, A. Golovachev made a decision to leave the roundup in small groups. He went out last with the brigade’s banner. For battle honors in liberating Vasilkov-town (November 6, 1943) in the Kiev operation of the 1st Ukrainian Front by the Decree of the People’s Commissar of Defence of the USSR, I. Stalin, the 23rd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade was assigned the name of Vasilkovsky. During the war, A. Golovachev and the brigade he led, participated in crossing the Don, the liberation of the Ukraine, the Battle for the Dnieper. The brigade commander was wounded seven times during the battles ... Brigade of Colonel Golovachev particularly distinguished themselves in the Lvov-Sandomierz operation, during which they liberated two towns: a small town of the Lvov region and Lvov itself; successfully crossed the Vistula River and seized a bridgehead on its western bank. By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on September 23, 1944 Commander of the 23rd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, Guards Col. Alexander Golovachev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 4659). 14 brigade’s men were also awarded that high title. Moving to the hide-out of the fascist beast as part of the 1st Ukrainian Front, in January and February 1945, Golovachev’s brigade participated in the Sandomierz-Silesian and the Lower-Silesian operations, freeing the Polish cities: Częstochowa, Pitshen (Bychina) Bunzlau (Bolesławiec); broke the enemy’s defenses, forcing the Oder River and captured a springboard for its west coast. But till the final defeat of the Nazi Germany’s famous brigade, commander did not live ... On March 6, 1945 Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Colonel A. Golovachev fell in battle, struck down by the enemy shell shrapnel. This occurred in Silesia near Logau (Poland). He was buried in Vasilkov-town of the Kiev region (the Ukraine). By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on April 6, 1945 the commander of the 23rd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, Guards Colonel Alexander Golovachev was awarded posthumously the second Gold Star medal. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of Suvorov of the 2nd Class, the Order of the Red Star, and medals. The street in Moscow is named after twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Colonel A. Golovachev. A passenger ship of Belsky Shipping Company (Bashkortostan, Ufa) was also named after him. |