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Harun BogatyrevDeputy Commander of the 51st Guards Tank Brigade, Guards Colonel, Hero of the Soviet Union
Date of Birth: 15.09.1907
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Content:
- Early Life and Education
- Military Career
- World War II
- Battle of Kursk
- Crossing the Dnieper
- Liberation of Kiev
- Legacy
Early Life and Education
Harun Bogatyrev was born on September 15, 1907, in the village of Dzheguta, now part of the Ust-Dzhegutinsky District in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. From a farming family, he completed elementary school and worked various jobs. In 1925, he graduated from a party school in Batalpashinsk (now Cherkessk) and served as a reading room manager in his village for two years. From 1927 to 1931, Bogatyrev studied at a preparatory faculty for workers (rabfak) in Ivanovo.
Military Career
Pre-World War IIIn 1931, Bogatyrev was drafted into the Red Army. He graduated with honors from the Oryol Armored Training School in 1932 and served as a tank platoon commander in the training mechanization regiment of the Armored Forces Academy in Moscow. He rose through the ranks, becoming a tank company commander with the captain rank. In 1935, he completed Advanced Training Courses for the Commanding Staff and studied at the Academy's evening division from 1938 to 1941.
World War II
Early CombatWith the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, Bogatyrev requested to be sent to the front but was initially assigned as a deputy battalion commander at the Kazan Tank School. He finally joined the active army in October 1942 as the commander of the 1st Tank Battalion of the 97th Tank Brigade. His battalion distinguished itself in the battles for Rossosh and Kharkov.
Battle of Kursk
In July-August 1943, as part of the now-renamed 3rd Guards Tank Army, Bogatyrev's battalion played a significant role in the Battle of Kursk. Major Bogatyrev personally destroyed six heavy tanks. Due to a commander's illness, he briefly commanded the entire 97th Tank Brigade. He was wounded twice during the battle but returned to active duty after recovering on the front lines.
Crossing the Dnieper
By mid-September 1943, the 3rd Guards Tank Army had reached the Dnieper River. The 51st Guards Tank Brigade, where Bogatyrev was the deputy commander, captured the town of Pereyaslav-Khmelnytskyi. On September 22, Bogatyrev led a мотострелковый battalion across the Dnieper near the village of Grigorovka. His surprise attack dislodged the German forces and established a bridgehead that later became known as the Bukrin Bridgehead.
Liberation of Kiev
As the documents recommending him for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union were being processed, Bogatyrev continued to fight. In early November, he took command of the 52nd Guards Tank Brigade, replacing the wounded commander. On the night of November 5th, the brigade under Bogatyrev's command defeated a German tank grouping and entered Kiev. The city was liberated early the next morning, and the brigade pursued the enemy towards Zhytomyr, destroying numerous enemy tanks.
Legacy
Major Bogatyrev was twice nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but neither nomination was approved. Nonetheless, his exceptional bravery and leadership on the battlefield cemented his status as a respected and renowned commander in the annals of the Red Army.
