Kovalev Andrey Matveyevich
Hero of the Soviet Union, a retired colonel. He was born on December 29, 1916 in Novonikolskoye village, Boguvarsky district, Voronezh region in a family of poor peasants. The family included his elder brother Mefodiy, born in 1900, Trofim, born in 1908, Ivan - 1910, Egor - 1914. The brothers, Trofim and Ivan, died at the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. Andrey Matveyevich had two sons. Andrey, born in 1947, and Mikhail, born in 1952. Both followed in their father's footsteps - became tankers. Andrei retired to the reserve in the rank of colonel. Mikhail died of a heart attack in 1991. Andrey's grandson graduated from Kharkov Tank College, fought in Chechnya, and is currently doing military service in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. In 1931 Andrey Matveyevich finished 5 grades, after graduating from the vocational school in 1933 he received seven-year-long education. In 1937, he graduated from the Kyiv Pedagogical Technical School by correspondence. In 1939, he graduated from the Saratov Armored School. In 1946, he graduated from the Academy of Armored and Mechanized Forces. In 1955, he graduated from the Academy of General Staff. From 1931 to 1937 he was a member of the Komsomol, from 1937 in the Communist Party. Before being drafted, he was elected to the Armed Forces, worked at a factory in Kamensk-Shakhtinsk. He held such job positions as: locksmith, assistant, and then head of the technical department at the repair plant in the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinsk, Rostov region. He worked as a special cruiser M.T.S., pedagogical technical school. In 1937 he entered, in 1939 graduated from the Saratov Tank School. One year after graduating from the school, he was a political instructor of the Tank Company of the 257th Tank Battalion, 60th Tank Brigade. He commanded the tank company of the 68th Tank Regiment in the Kiev Special Military District. From August 1941, he was deputy commander of the tank battalion of the 18th Tank Brigade. Since January 1942, Deputy Commander of the 149th Independent Tank Battalion, 1st Guards Rifle Corps, 14th Shock Army. From July 1942 to December 1943, he was commander of the 2nd Tank Battalion, 94th Tank Brigade, 3rd Guards Tank Army. From January 1946 to November 1948, he was a battalion commander for cadets at the Saratov Tank School. He participated in the Great Patriotic War from June 22, 1941 to December 30, 1943. The battles took place from Brest to Moscow. He took part in the offensive operation of our troops near Stalingrad, surrounded by the 6th Army of Paulus. Participated in the liberation of Donbass and the capital of Ukraine, Kiev. He was awarded for bravery, heroism, skillful management of subordinates while performing combat missions. Orders: -Lenin; -Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union; -Two Orders of the Red Star; -Alexander Nevsky; -Fatherland War, First Class; Medals: - "For Merit in Combat" - "For the Defense of Moscow" - "For Victory over Germany" - "Military Service Veteran" - "For Irreproachable Service III, II and I Degrees". -9 jubilee medals. After his dismissal, he moved to Kamensk-Shakhtinsk, where he worked as an operator of a party organization, a military teacher training school. Honorary Citizen of Kamensk-Shakhtinsk. In 1996 he moved to Chelyabinsk to his son Andrey. He died on July 28, 2000. He was buried in the Uspenskoe Cemetery of the city of Chelyabinsk. Episodes from military life. In November 1943 there were heavy battles on the right bank of the Dnieper River. The tank brigade was fighting south-west of the city of Kiev, near the town of Vasilkov. The brigade was commanded by Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant Colonel Dragunsky (later twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Army General). In one of the directions, the tank brigade received data that a column of German tanks and armored vehicles was moving towards the location of the brigade. Captain A.M. Kovalyov was given the task of reconnoiterating the enemy and reporting on the size of the enemy. Battalion commander A.M. Kovalyov advanced on the tank, accompanied by two combat vehicles, towards the enemy and took up position for observation at the edge of the forest. He counted three tanks in the Germans' convoy, about a dozen vehicles with infantry, and reported that to the brigade headquarters. He decided to shoot at the Nazis. The head tank was hit in the first salvo; after the second salvo, the tank that closed the column caught fire. Firing from the tanks, the tankers destroyed the infantry, cars, in the course of this battle were hit all the tanks that were in the German column, destroyed 2 light tanks, 5 cars. The enemy could not withstand and began to retreat. A.M. Kovalev took advantage of this and expected their retreat. With three tanks, chasing the retreating Germans, occupied the settlement, which was to be freed by his brigade on this day. Taking advantage of panic in the enemy's ranks, the tank brigade under Kovalyov's command took advantage of the prevailing height, which it was going to take only the next day. Hidden at the altitude, he reported the results of the battle to the brigade headquarters. At that time, tank commander Rybalko arrived at the brigade headquarters to check the reconnaissance and prepare for the battle to take the settlement and the prevailing altitude. He immediately ordered the brigade commander to draw up documents to present A.M. Kovalyov with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. It was November 15, 1943.
