Gorodovikov, Oka Ivanovich

Born Sept. 19 (Oct. 1), 1879, at the khutor (homestead) of Mokraia El’muta, present-day Rostov Oblast; died Feb. 26, 1960, in Moscow. Soviet military leader; colonel general. Hero of the Soviet Union (Mar. 10, 1958). Member of the CPSU from 1919.

Gorodovikov was born into the family of a Kalmyk peasant. He took part in World War I (1914–18) and served in the Soviet Army from 1918. During the Civil War he commanded a squadron, a regiment, a cavalry brigade, and a cavalry division in the First Cavalry Army and was commander of the Second Cavalry Army. In the storming of the Perekop Isthmus (1920) he commanded the 6th Cavalry Division; he participated in the crushing of the Makhno bands. Gorodovikov completed advanced academic courses (1923), courses for the training of superior command personnel (1927), and the course of study at the Military Political Academy (1930). He graduated from the Frunze Military Academy in 1932. He was a corps commander of the Red Cossacks and deputy commander of the troops of the Middle Asian Military District (1932–38). From 1938 to 1941 he was inspector of cavalry, and from June 1941 he was cavalry inspector general and commanding officer. He directed the organization of cavalry units during the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) and was General Headquarters representative for direction of operations of cavalry units from June to August 1941 and at the battle of Stalingrad. From 1943 to 1947 he was deputy commander of the cavalry. Gorodovikov retired in 1947. He was a deputy at the first convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Gorodovikov was awarded three Orders of Lenin, six Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class and a number of medals.