Mikhail Petrovich Vorobev

Born Dec. 17 (29), 1896, in Khasav’iurt, Dagestan; died June 12, 1957, in Moscow. Marshal of engineers (1944). Joined the CPSU in 1919. Born into the family of an office worker.

Vorob’ev studied at the Mining Institute in Petrograd, was called into the army in 1916, and graduated from an ensign’s school in 1917. In October 1917 he was elected chairman of a regimental committee. Vorob’ev joined the Red Army in March 1918, fought in the Civil War, and was a brigade and division engineer. He graduated from the engineering department of the Military Technical Academy in 1929 and from postgraduate courses. In 1932 he became an instructor, from which he rose to department chairman of the academy, chief of a military engineers’ school, and general inspector of the engineers. During the Great Patriotic War (1941-45), Vorob’ev was chief of the engineers’ administration and then chief engineer of the Western Front (July 1941-April 1942). From April 1942 until May 1952 he was chief engineer of the Soviet Army. From 1952 to 1957 he held high posts in the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Vorob’ev was awarded two Orders of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Suvorov First Class and of the Patriotic War First Class, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and medals.