Ivan Umashev Naval figure, admiral, Hero of the Soviet Union Date of Birth: 09.10.1895 Country: Georgia

Biography of Ivan Yumashev

Ivan Stepanovich Yumashev was a naval officer, admiral, and Hero of the Soviet Union. Born to a railway worker, he served in the Baltic Fleet after graduating from a technical school in 1912. Yumashev began his naval career as a stoker and later became a machinist and non-commissioned officer. In 1917, he was elected chairman of the battery committee. In February 1919, Yumashev voluntarily joined the Soviet Navy and participated in the Russian Civil War from 1918 to 1920 as part of the Astrakhan-Caspian and Volga-Caspian military flotillas.

After the war, Yumashev served in the Baltic Fleet, where he commanded an artillery platoon on the battleship "Petropavlovsk" (later renamed "Marat") from 1920 to 1921. He then became the assistant commander of the same ship. In 1924, Yumashev participated in the voyage from Arkhangelsk to Vladivostok on the cargo ship "Borovskiy." He received further education at specialized courses for fleet personnel in 1925 and tactical courses for ship commanders at the Naval Academy in 1932.

From 1925, Yumashev served in the Baltic Fleet, initially on destroyers "Lenin" and "Voykov," and then as the second assistant commander of the battleship "Marat" (formerly "Petropavlovsk"). In July 1926, he transferred to the Black Sea Fleet, becoming the senior assistant commander of the cruiser "Comintern." From February 1927, he commanded the destroyer "Dzerzhinsky" (later renamed "Kaliakriya"). In 1932, Yumashev became the commander of the cruiser "Profintern" and, in 1934, the commander of a destroyer division. From 1935 to 1937, he led a cruiser brigade. In November 1935, Yumashev was conferred the personal military rank of Rear Admiral. He served as the chief of staff from September 1937 and the commander of the Black Sea Fleet from January 1938.

From March 1939 to January 1947, Yumashev commanded the Pacific Fleet. He made significant contributions to the development and strengthening of the fleet, as well as the construction of naval bases, airfields, and coastal defenses in the Far East. In 1943, he was promoted to the rank of Admiral. In August and September 1945, Yumashev played a crucial role in supporting the 1st and 2nd Far Eastern Fronts in defeating the Kwantung Army and liberating South Sakhalin, the Kuril Islands, and more. For his skillful leadership and bravery, Yumashev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, along with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on September 14, 1945.

After the dismissal of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nikolay G. Kuznetsov, in January 1947, Yumashev became the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy and Deputy Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR. With the establishment of a separate Ministry of the Navy, Yumashev was appointed as the Minister on February 25, 1950. He played a significant role in equipping the Navy with new warships, aircraft, weapons, and command systems, as well as training the personnel in the use of new technology.

Yumashev was a candidate for membership in the Central Committee of the Communist Party from 1941 to 1956 and a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 1950 to 1956. In July 1951, he was replaced as Minister by Kuznetsov and reassigned as the head of the Naval Academy. From 1951 to 1957, Yumashev served as the head of the Naval Academy. He was retired in January 1957. Yumashev was awarded six Orders of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, and numerous medals, as well as foreign decorations.

Ivan Yumashev was buried at the Serafimovskoye Cemetery in Leningrad. In his honor, a large anti-submarine ship was named after him at the Zhdanov Shipyard in 1976, and streets in Vladivostok and Sevastopol were also named after him.