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Nikolay GorbanevParticipant of the Great Patriotic War, captain. Hero of the Soviet Union.
Date of Birth: 14.05.1922
Country:  Russia |
Content:
- Childhood and Education
- Military Service during World War II
- Heroism at the Battle of Iași
- Post-War Career
- Retirement and Legacy
- Honors and Awards
Childhood and Education
Николай Горбанев was born on May 14, 1922, in the village of Popovka, Voronezh Oblast. After graduating from the Voronezh Teacher's Institute, he pursued further education at the Kharkov Artillery School.
Military Service during World War II
With the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War in 1941, Gorbanëv joined the Red Army. Graduating as a lieutenant, he was deployed to the North-Western Front and appointed as the commander of a battery in the 350th Independent Anti-Tank Destroyer Battalion. He distinguished himself in battle, sustaining two wounds. In 1942, he became a member of the Communist Party.
Heroism at the Battle of Iași
On April 5, 1944, Gorbanëv's artillery battery played a pivotal role in repelling nine enemy counterattacks near Iași, Romania. Despite being attacked from multiple directions, Gorbanëv's heroic actions allowed three infantry battalions to escape encirclement and preserve their strength and equipment. His battery destroyed four tanks, five armored personnel carriers, and seven machine guns during the engagement.
Post-War Career
After the war, Gorbanëv graduated from the Malinovsky Armored Forces Academy. He served in various command and staff positions, including as the commander of a tank regiment in Borisov and the chief of staff of a tank division in the Belarusian Military District. From 1967 to 1974, he commanded a motorized rifle division in the Transcaucasian Military District. From 1974 to 1984, he served as the head of the Kazan Suvorov Military School.
Retirement and Legacy
Gorbanëv retired in 1984 with the rank of general-major. He continued to work in the Republican Civil Defense Headquarters of the Belarusian SSR and actively participated in patriotic events. He passed away on March 20, 2012, in Minsk. Gorbanëv is commemorated in the name of the Popovka village's pioneer troop and as an honorary citizen of the city of Rossosh.
Honors and Awards
Hero of the Soviet Union (September 13, 1944)Order of Lenin (twice)
Order of the Red Banner of Labor
Order of Alexander Nevsky
Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class
Two Orders of the Red Star
Order "For Service to the Motherland," 2nd Class (Republic of Belarus)
