Kurban Durdiu Hero of the Soviet Union Country: Turkmenistan

Biography of Kurban Durdy

Kurban Durdy, a Soviet hero, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on November 9, 1941, along with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. He was born in 1917 in the village of Kongur-Yab, currently located in the Sakar-Chaginsky district of the Mary region in Turkmenistan.

Durdy completed six grades of schooling and then worked in a collective farm. He was called up to the Soviet Army in September 1938 and graduated from a regimental school in 1939. He participated in the campaign of Soviet troops in Western Ukraine in 1939. When the Great Patriotic War broke out, Durdy found himself on the border with Romania.

On June 22, 1941, as a junior sergeant, Durdy led his infantry division in their first battle against the fascists near the village of Edintsi (now a city in Moldova). He fearlessly led his soldiers into the attack. On June 26, 1941, Durdy received a highly important combat mission: to conduct reconnaissance of enemy forces and capture prisoners along with his division.

Following orders, Durdy quietly crossed the Prut River with his division, bypassing enemy strongholds, and reached the rear of their troops. He gathered intelligence on the enemy's group size and their firepower. After successfully completing the mission, Durdy and his soldiers were returning to their unit when they encountered a platoon of fascists. In a night battle, the division destroyed 11 enemy soldiers and captured the rest.

On July 27, 1941, a fierce battle erupted for control of a hill. Despite being severely wounded (losing his arm due to a shell explosion), Kurban Durdy led his division into the attack three times. In the final assault, our forces successfully defended the hill. On November 9, 1941, Kurban Durdy was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, along with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

In September 1941, he was discharged from the army due to his injuries. In 1947, he graduated from a pedagogical institute in Ashgabat. He served as the director of the Museum of History at the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan. Kurban Durdy was awarded the Order of Lenin and several medals. He was an honorary citizen of the city of Edintsi. He passed away on February 12, 1976, and was buried in the village of Keshi in the Ashgabat district of Turkmenistan.