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Mikhail RodionovColonel, Hero of the Soviet Union
Date of Birth: 20.07.1902
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Content:
Early Life and Education
Born in 1902 to a peasant family in Koleosovo, Lipetsk Oblast, Mikhail Iosifovich Rodionov received a basic education. He worked at a sugar factory in Yelets and joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) in 1920.
Military Career
In 1920, Rodionov was drafted into the Red Army and fought in the Russian Civil War. After completing a command training course in 1921, he served in a military construction unit in the Far East. As a battalion commander, he participated in the construction of Komsomolsk-on-Amur and industrial facilities in Khabarovsk.
WWII: Heroism and Leadership
From 1942, Rodionov fought on the Belarusian and 1st Baltic Fronts. As a colonel commanding the 7th Guards Mechanized Brigade of the 3rd Guards Mechanized Corps, he led his troops in the Vitebsk-Orsha Operation. On June 28, 1944, the brigade liberated the city of Lepel from German occupation.
For his bravery and skillful leadership during the crossing of the Berezina River and the defeat of the German garrison in Lepel, Rodionov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on July 4, 1944. He received the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star Medal.
Post-War Service
After the war, Rodionov continued his military career. In 1952, he attended refresher courses at the Military Academy of Armored and Mechanized Forces. He eventually retired to Kyiv and passed away on May 24, 1987. Rodionov was laid to rest at the Lukyanovka Military Cemetery.
