Michael Bysak Hero of the Soviet Union Date of Birth: 13.04.1921 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Mikhail Baysak

Mikhail Grigorievich Baysak was born on April 13, 1921, in the village of Omyanka, Alexandriysky District, Kirovograd Oblast, Ukraine. He came from a family of military sailors, with his grandfather and father serving in the Baltic Fleet. Baysak's father, Grigory Akimovich, was born in 1881, and his mother, Agafiya Ivanovna, was born in 1890. His wife, Tamara Nikolaevna, was born in 1924 and was a theater director and Honored Worker of Culture in Ukraine. Baysak had two sons: Gennady Mikhailovich, born in 1944, who became a film director, and Alexander Mikhailovich, born in 1952, who served as a Captain in the Second Rank in the Black Sea Fleet.

Before the war, Mikhail Baysak worked as the secretary of the Petrovskoye District Komsomol Committee from 1939 to 1940. In late 1940, he was drafted into the Black Sea Fleet. He completed his training as a torpedoman at the Weapon School and was immediately thrust into the war.

During the defense of Sevastopol, Baysak actively participated as part of the 1st Sevastopol Naval Regiment and later the 8th Marine Brigade of the Black Sea Fleet. He led his men into battle, often manning machine guns and personally taking down enemy soldiers. One account in the front newspaper "For the Motherland" described how Baysak volunteered to go on a reconnaissance mission and successfully collected valuable information about enemy forces.

In recognition of his bravery, Baysak was promoted to the rank of Junior Political Officer and continued to display courage during the critical days of Sevastopol's defense. On June 29, 1942, he led a group of sailors in a fierce battle against enemy forces near Grafskaya Wharf, killing over 50 German soldiers. The next day, on Cape Khersones, Baysak formed a company of machine gunners who held off superior enemy forces in the area for two days.

Finally, on the night of July 4, 1942, Baysak, severely wounded and unconscious, was rescued from a makeshift raft by a patrol boat. He was taken to Novorossiysk for treatment. From 1942 to 1944, he served in the maneuvering and manipulation hydrographic unit defending the Caucasus and participating in the Novorossiysk landing operation.

In 1945, the war was not over for Baysak. He served as the deputy commander on the minesweeper "Mina," clearing minefields in the Black Sea. From 1950 to 1951, Captain of the Third Rank Baysak worked as an instructor in the Main Political Directorate of the Soviet Navy. From 1951 to 1954, he studied at the V.I. Lenin Military-Political Academy. He then served as the deputy commander of the destroyers "Ostorozhny" in the Northern Fleet and "Bessledny" in the Black Sea Fleet.

Baysak's distinguished service in the Navy spanned nearly 30 years, from an ordinary sailor to Captain of the First Rank. He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky III class, the Order of the Patriotic War I class, two Orders of the Red Star, and 30 medals, including the "For Military Merit" medal.

After retiring in 1968, Baysak immediately became involved in veterans' affairs. He served as the chairman of the committee supporting the Lenin District Military Commissariat and later as the chairman of the council of veterans of the Marine Corps of the Black Sea Fleet. Currently, he is the chairman of the council of participants in the heroic defense and liberation of Sevastopol, the first deputy chairman of the Sevastopol City Council of Veterans, and a member of the Council of Elders of the city.

Baysak is well-known for his active promotion of heroic wartime traditions. He passionately shares stories of those who defended the country during the German invasion, particularly the defenders of Sevastopol and the battles fought on the Black Sea. He spent years gathering materials and documents to write a documentary novel titled "Sailors Walk on Land," which was awarded the A. Fadeev Literary Prize in 1982.

Mikhail Grigorievich Baysak is a member of the Union of Journalists of Russia and has written over 1,500 essays, stories, and articles. He is the author of two novels, including "Sea on Fire" (1995), and co-author of books such as "Their Names Are Dear to Us" (1976) and "Eternal Light of Heroism" (1995).

Today, at almost eighty years old, Baysak remains energetic, active, and full of life. In his free time, he enjoys painting, photography, and studying the history of the Great Patriotic War. Baysak is also a passionate car enthusiast.

Mikhail Grigorievich Baysak currently resides in the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine. He hopes to live long enough to see his great-grandchild don the uniform of a naval officer, continuing the family's tradition of serving in the fleet.