Gromadin, Mikhail

Born Oct. 27 (Nov. 8), 1899, in the village of Kraishevo, in present-day Elan’ Raion, Volgograd Oblast; died June 3, 1962, in Moscow. Colonel general (1943); became a member of the CPSU in 1925. The son of a peasant.

Gromadin was in the Soviet Army from 1918, taking part in the Civil War on the Southern and Southwestern fronts. He went through commander-training courses (1920), the Kiev Infantry School (1927), the Frunze Military Academy (1933), and the Higher Academic Courses under the General Staff’s Military Academy (1950). Until the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) he served in staff positions. In 1940–41 he commanded a corps of the air defense forces and was assistant to the commanding officer of the Moscow Military District for the Air Defense Forces; he took part in the defense of Moscow. In November 1941, Gromadin became assistant people’s commissar of defense of the USSR for the air defense forces and commanding officer of the National Air Defense Forces. In August 1943 he assumed command of forces on the Northern and subsequently the Central air defense fronts. After the war he was commanding officer of an air defense district and from 1946 of the National Air Defense Forces. In 1950 he became inspector general of the air defense forces. After 1954. Gromadin was on the retired list.

Gromadin was a deputy of the second convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. His awards included two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov First Class, two Orders of Kutuzov First Class, the Order of the Red Star, and various medals.