Michael Avgustinovich
- Early Life and Education
- World War II: Submarine Commander
- Post-War Command and Staff Roles
- Military Advisor to China
- Senior Naval Officer
- Retirement and Legacy
Early Life and Education
Mikhail Petrovich Avgustinovich was born on November 10, 1912, in Warsaw, Russian Empire. He pursued his naval education at the M. V. Frunze Naval School (1930-1932), the Coastal Defense School of the Red Army's Naval Forces (1932-1933), and graduated from the S. M. Kirov Underwater Navigation Training Unit in 1936.
World War II: Submarine Commander
During World War II, Avgustinovich served as the commander of the K-1 submarine. He participated in 13 combat missions, spending 172 days at sea. He executed one torpedo attack and planted eight minefields. The 146 mines deployed by his submarine sank eight enemy ships and vessels with a total displacement of 18,463 tons.
Post-War Command and Staff Roles
After the war, Avgustinovich held various command and staff positions within the Northern Fleet. He served as the head of the 1st Division of the Submarine Underwater Navigation Department (1943), commander of the 1st Division of Submarines of the Red Banner Submarine Brigade (1944), commander of the Red Banner Order of Ushakov I Degree Submarine Brigade (1947), and commander of the 33rd Red Banner Order of Ushakov I Degree Submarine Division (1951).
Military Advisor to China
In 1954, Avgustinovich was appointed advisor to the chief of staff of the Chinese Navy and later became a senior military advisor to the commander-in-chief of the Chinese Navy (1954-1956).
Senior Naval Officer
Upon his return to the Soviet Navy, Avgustinovich held senior positions within the Main Naval Staff of the USSR Navy. He was the head of the 3rd Operational Department (1956-1957) and the admiral-inspector of the submarine forces of the Soviet Navy (1957-1961). In 1961, he was promoted to vice-admiral.
Retirement and Legacy
Avgustinovich retired from active duty in 1968 due to illness and passed away on September 22, 1984. He was buried at Kuntsevo Cemetery in Moscow. Avgustinovich received numerous awards, including multiple Orders of Lenin, Red Banner, and Patriotic War.
