Vasilii Stepanovich Petrov

Born June 22, 1922, in the village of Dmitrievka, now in Priazovskoe Raion, Zaporozh’e Oblast. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Dec. 24, 1943, and June 27, 1945). Major general of the artillery (1962). Member of the CPSU since 1945.

Petrov has been in the Red Army since 1939. He graduated from the Sumy Artillery School in 1941. He fought in the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) on the Southwestern, Briansk, Voronezh, Don, and First Ukrainian fronts. He served as a platoon commander, deputy commander of a battery, assistant chief of staff of a regiment and deputy commander of the 1850th Tank-destroyer Artillery Regiment. In 1943, Petrov lost both arms in combat near Kremenchug. By his own request he was sent to the army in the field in 1944 and served as deputy commander and then commander of the 248th Tank-destroyer Regiment.

After the war, Petrov continued in the cadres of the armed forces. In 1954 he graduated by correspondence from the history department of the University of L’vov. Petrov has been awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, three Orders of the Red Star, various medals, and two foreign orders.