Vasily Semenovich Beketov was born on March 25, 1924 in the village of Andreevka, Kugarchinsky district of the Bashkir ASSR. On August 1, 1944, a platoon commanded by Beketov was one of the first to cross the Vistula River. The fighters who crossed over seized a bridgehead on the shore and repulsed 14 enemy counterattacks in a day. During the fighting, Beketov was wounded, but directed the actions of the fighters until they drove the Nazis further away. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on March 24, 1945. Awards: Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Patriotic War I degree, Red Star, medals. He died on September 18, 1991. In the city of Salavat, a street is named after him.