BACKGROUND: Tank Troops Major General Ivan Zharikov 30.01.1907 - 29.05.1969. Hero of the Soviet Union Dates of decrees 1. 31.05.1945. Medal № 6414 Order of Lenin № 42139. Monuments of the Alley of Glory in the city of Korocha. Ivan Alekseevich Zharikov - commander of the 36th Tank Brigade of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov (11th Tank Brigade of the Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov, 5th Shock Army, 1st Belorussian Front), Colonel. Born on January 30, 1907 in the town of Korocha, now Belgorod Region, in the family of a worker. Russian. Received an elementary education in a parochial school. In 1928, he graduated from the worker’s factory. Worked as a miner at the mine "Vetka" in the city of Stalino (now Donetsk). He was conscripted into the army in May 1929 by Stalin District Military Committee. In 1932 he graduated from the Odessa Military Infantry School, in 1934 - advanced training courses for command staff (KUKS). He participated in the battles with Japanese troops on the Khalkhin-Gol River (May - September 1939). He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Military Red Banner ("For Military Valor") of the Mongolian People's Republic during the Great Patriotic War in the active army - from June 22, 1941. He fought at the South-Western, Western, Kalinin, Bryansk, Southern, 1st Ukrainian and 1st Byelorussian fronts. He was wounded six times, two of them seriously, and was especially distinguished during the Berlin offensive and during the storming of Berlin. Tand Brigade under his commandmwnt was one of the first ones to drive into Berlin. On its way from the Oder River to Berlin and in street battles in the city, the brigade destroyed 50 tanks and assault rifles, 164 artillery guns, 176 mortars, 370 machine guns, 5 armored personnel carriers, 288 vehicles and tractors, about 3,500 enemy soldiers and officers, destroyed about 100 barricades and houses adapted for the defense, captured 5,600 soldiers and officers, and captured a large number of military equipment and property of the enemy. Colonel I.A.Zharikov was always in the brigade's fighting order, leading the battles. According to the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 31, 1945, Ivan Alekseevich Zharikov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star Medal for exemplary performance of combat missions of the command at the front of the fight against the German invaders and demonstrated courage and heroism. After the war, he continued to serve in the Armed Forces. In 1947, he graduated from the Officers Advanced Training Course (KUOS). Major-General (1954). Since 1956, Major-General I.A.Zharikov - in reserve. He lived in Odessa. He passed away on May 29, 1969. 2 Orders of Lenin (31.05.1945), 3 Orders of the Red Banner (1939; 12.08.1944), Orders of Suvorov of the II degree (6.04.1945), Alexander Nevskiy's (30.10.1943), 2 Orders of the Red Star (28.02.1942), medals, the Order of the Fighting Red Banner (MNR). The Hero's bust is installed on the Walk of Fame in Korocha. I.A.Zharikov started his combat activity on the South-Western Front on June 22, 1941. In the same month he was seriously wounded. After being treaed at the Western Front, he participated in a counteroffensive near Moscow as part of the 5th Army. Deputy commander of the 31st Independent Tank Battalion Major I.A.Zharikov in the battles from 13 to 17 December 1941 on the territory of Ruzsky district of Moscow region in the area of Kryukovo - Ruza proved himself as a brave warrior and commander. During the attack on the village of Lyzlovo on December 16, 1941 he personally destroyed 2 anti-tank guns, 3 mortars, 1 machine gun, 3 hand machine guns, 3 vehicles, up to 25 soldiers and officers of the enemy. In the same attack captured 2 trucks with ammunition, 1 tank, 1 self-propelled gun. He was awarded the Order of the Red Star. In February 1942, he was wounded again. In March 1943, Lieutenant Colonel I.A.Zharikov was appointed commander of the 36th Tank Brigade of the 2nd Mechanized Corps, which was at that time at the Kalinin Front under the operational command of the 3rd Shock Army. The Army occupied the frontiers west of the town of Velikie Luki, which had been liberated in January 1943, and was engaged in defensive battles in that area. At the end of April 1943, the 2nd Mechanized Corps was taken out for additional manning, and then into the Reserve Ranks of the Supreme Command. In June 1943, the 36th Tank Brigade became part of the 11th Tank Corps of the 4th Tank Army. On July 20, 1943, together with the 4th Tank Army, it joined the Western Front, and on July 30, 1943, the Bryansk Front, where it took part in the Orlov Offensive Operation (July 12-August 18, 1943), the final phase of the battle at the Kursk Bulge. In early September, the 11th Tank Corps Brigade was redeployed to the Southern Front. Under the 28th Army's operational command, the Corps participated in the Donbas offensive (August 13-September 22, 1943), including the liberation of the city of Volnovakh (now Donetsk Region), and then in the Melitopol offensive (September 26-October 21, 1943). In October 1943, I.A.Zharikov was slightly wounded and remained in the ranks. On October 21, 1943, the Brigade, together with the Corps, was withdrawn from the battles to the Reserve of the Supreme Command. During the battles on the Southern Front, Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Zharikov's 36th Tank Brigade took courageous and decisive action to advance its motorized infantry and the cavalry that interacted with the Corps. The brigade made a brave maneuver to bypass the Gulyay-Pole station from the northwest, cut the railroad and captured Gulyay-Pole, which allowed units to move forward. Lieutenant Colonel I.A. Zharikov skillfully organized interaction with the infantry and artillery. During the hostilities of September 7-22, 1943, the Brigade destroyed: 23 guns, 19 mortars, 9 machine guns, 9 vehicles, 20 tanks, 82 soldiers and officers. The following were seized: 33 soldiers and officers, 3 guns, 2 warehouses, 6 carriages and 3 motorcycles. He was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevskiy. On February 15, 1944 the 11th Tank Corps arrived from the reserve to the 1st Ukrainian Front and was subordinated to the 13th Army. It participated in Proskurov-Chernovitskaya offensive operation (March 4 - April 17, 1944) to defeat the German Army Group "South" on the right bank of Ukraine.29 April 1944 he was transferred to the 1st-Belarusian front, where he fought until the end of the war. He participated in the equestrian-mechanized group of Lieutenant General V.V.Kryukov in the Lublin-Brest offensive operation (July 18 - August 2, 1944) - a part of the Belarusian strategic operation "Bagration". During the operation, a mechanized horse-drawn group introduced into the breakout west of Kovel, Volyn Region (Luboml district), forced the West Bug River and began its rapid advance through Poland to the northwest. The Polish cities of Parchev, Radzyń Podlaski, Luków and Siedlce were liberated with the participation of the 36th Tank Brigade. The Brigade, commanded by Colonel I.A. Zharikov, was introduced on July 18, 1944, at the turn of the villages of Ruda - Hvorostov (Lubomlsky District, Volyn Region), overcoming the enemy's stubborn resistance and inflicting heavy damage with minor losses, by the end of July 19 came to the Western Bug River. At once breaking the enemy's resistance, it forced the Western Bug and seized the bridgehead on its western bank. Having rebuilt the battlefield, the brigade, in cooperation with other units of the 11th Tank Corps, took the towns of Parchev, Radzyń, Lukuw in a matter of minutes and by the end of July 24, 1944, reached the area of Sedlets, where it encountered a strong anti-tank defense of the enemy. On July 27, Colonel Zharikov's units bypassed Sedlets from the east to strike the enemy from the rear. Here, they were surrounded by tank division troops SS “dead Head”. Being seriously wounded, I.A.Zharikov personally led the battle for 8 hours in the encirclement and by the order of the command, having broken through the ring of the encirclement, went to the specified area, causing the enemy great damage in manpower and equipment. During the period of the operation from July 18 to 31, 1944, Colonel Zharikov's brigade destroyed: tanks and self-propelled guns - 42, armored vehicles - 2, airplanes - 4. guns of various types - 67, machine guns - 132, soldiers and officers - 2002. Captured: tanks and self-propelled guns - 2, automobiles - 128, railway echelons - 3, different warehouses - 5, guns of different caliber - 8, horses - 61, 509 soldiers and officers were taken prisoners. He was presented with the Order of Lenin, and was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The 36th Tank Brigade was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner and the 2nd Class of the Suvorov Tank Brigade for its excellent performance in the operation. After leaving the encirclement, I.A.Zharikov was hospitalized, but left the hospital early and took command of the brigade again on September 10, 1944. In 1945, the 11th Tank Corps of the 69th Army in the Warsaw-Poznań offensive operation (January 14 - February 3, 1945), a part of the Vistula-Oder Strategic Operation, dealt a blow from the Pulawska bridgehead towards Radom, Łódź. Together with other units of the front, it broke through the enemy's defense to a depth of 20 kilometers, freed with the participation of the 36th Tank Brigade on January 16 Radom, January 18 Tomaszów Mazowiecki, January 19 Lodz. On January 29, the Corps broke through the Mezeritsky fortified area and entered Germany within the 1938 borders. On January 31, advanced units of the Corps came out to the river Oder (Odra) near Frankfurt. The commander of the 36th Tank Brigade Colonel I.A.Zharikov in this operation once again proved to be a courageous and combat commander. The brigade inflicted a great deal of damage to the enemy, with little loss of life. It took 18 days, overcoming the enemy's stubborn resistance, to march from the Vistula to the Oder, 750-800 kilometers. Forced large water obstacles Radomka, Pilica, Warta, in cooperation with parts of the corps seized cities and towns Zvolen, Radom, Tomaszów, Łódź, Zharnów, Szbrem, Champin, Groznoc, Wolstein, Bomst, Ciumlihaihau (Sulehów), Sternberg, Reppen. On 3 February 1945, the brigade reached the Oder River near Frankfurt. Colonel Zharikov's crew destroyed tanks and self-propelled guns - 15, guns of various calibers - 166, planes - 2, vehicles - up to 7,700, killed 2,360 soldiers and officers, captured guns of various calibers - 18, mortars - 34, vehicles - 101, military warehouses - 132, captured up to 2,000 soldiers and officers. I.A.Zharikov was promoted to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the distiction in the operation. He was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the 2nd degree. 36th Tank Brigade was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the 2nd degree. From April 16 to May 8, 1945, the 11th Tank Corps of Major-General I.I.Yushchuk took part in the Berlin strategic offensive operation, which resulted in the capture of the German capital Berlin. The corps was under the operational command of the 1st Guards Tank Army of General M.E.Katukov and acted in the line of 8th Guars army. On April 24 during the attack on Berlin it was transferred to 5th Guards Army. For distinction in this operation Colonel I.A.Zharikov was secondly presented to the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union and received this title. From the award list. Colonel Zharikov had been in command of the brigade since March 1943. Under the command of Comrade Zharikov, the Brigade went through a glorious and historic battlefield at the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. On the Kalinin Front, it fought to liberate the city and the Velikie Luki fortress. After being transferred to the Bryansk front, the brigade with persistent battles went from the town of Oriol to the approaches to the town of Bryansk, initiating the offensive of our troops in the west. On the Southern Front, the 11th Tank Corps Brigade, which broke through the Germans' tough and long-term defenses and smashed the enemy's superior forces, developed its success towards the city Zaporozhie and took an active part in liberation of Melitopol - an important defensive point, covering the approaches to Crimea. In the battles on the 1st Belorussian front, Comrade Zharikov showed exceptional examples of courage and heroism, ability to command and control units in the most difficult battle conditions. When the Germans broke through their defenses west of Kovel, Colonel Zharikov's brigade was one of the first to reach the state border, the West Bug River, forcing it on its course and developing the success of the offensive towards Parchev, Radzyń, Lukow and Sedlec (Poland). In the battles from the Vistula River to the Oder River, the brigade covered itself with unfading glory in defeating the German invaders. Although Comrade Zharikov was wounded, without removing his bandages, he continued to command and lead units of the brigade from victory to victory. During the fighting on the 1st Belorussian Front, the unit led by Colonel Zharikov received eight commendations from Comrade Stalin, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the brigade. By decrees of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet, the brigade was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Suvorov Order of the 2nd degree and the Order of the Kutuzov Order of the 2nd degree. From the Oder River to Berlin, the capital of fascist Germany, and in the battles for Berlin, Colonel Zharikov proved himself a true commander and soldier of the Red Army. Without recovering from a serious wound, he personally led the brigade to storm the lair of the fascist beast, inspiring the personnel with his unparalleled bravery, courage and bravery. In the streets of Berlin, he was in constant combat order, directing the tanks' combat activity to the attack objects, broke through to the center of the city and seized the latter. While fighting hard from the Oder River to Berlin and in the battles for the city itself, the brigade inflicted losses on the enemy: it destroyed 50 tanks and self-propelled guns, 164 guns of various calibers, 176 mortars, 371 machine guns, 5 armored personnel carriers, 288 vehicles and tractors, 3480 soldiers and officers, and 97 destroyed barricades and houses adapted for defense. The brigade captured: tanks and self-propelled guns - 3, guns of different caliber - 115, machine guns - 31, cars - 326, motorcycles - 1275, bicycles - 3675, enterprises and factories - 57, warehouses with various property - 135, captured 5600 soldiers and officers. Thanks to the exceptional courage, selfless heroism of Colonel Zharikov, his military skills and ability to manage crews and units even in the most difficult conditions, the brigade was among the first to break into the city of Berlin and fight until the final surrender of its garrison. He deserves the highest government award - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Commander of the 11th Tank Radomsky Red Banner Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov Corps, Major General t