 |
Semen KonovalovSoviet tank ace, participant in the Great Patriotic War
Date of Birth: 15.02.1920
|
Content:
Early Life and Military Career
Semion Vasilyevich Konovalov was born on February 15, 1920, in Yanbulatovo, Tatarstan, into a peasant family. A member of the Chuvash ethnic group, he completed secondary education and worked as a postman before joining the Red Army in 1939. In 1941, he graduated from the Kuibyshev Military Infantry School and was deployed to the front.
Heroic Exploits
As commander of a KV-1 tank in the 15th Tank Brigade of the 9th Army on the Southwestern Front, Lieutenant Konovalov distinguished himself during the Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad Operation. On July 13, 1942, while operating near the Nischnemitiakin farm, his crew destroyed an astonishing 16 tanks, 2 armored vehicles, and 8 trucks carrying enemy troops. Despite sustaining damage, Konovalov and his surviving crewman escaped with a captured German tank and continued fighting.
Escape and Capture
Konovalov's tank was eventually destroyed, and three of his crewmates were killed. With the assistance of a replacement mechanic, he retreated on foot towards Soviet lines. However, they were captured by a German tank column resting nearby. The tankists managed to overpower the crew and drove the German tank back to their own forces. Despite being initially mistaken as prisoners of war, the incident was resolved, and Konovalov continued to fight for another month with his captured vehicle.
Post-War Life and Legacy
In 1943, Konovalov was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title for his exceptional bravery. After the war, he served in the reserves and later graduated from the Leningrad Higher Armored Officer School. He retired in 1956 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Konovalov passed away on April 4, 1989, and was buried in the Arsk Cemetery in Kazan. In 2005, 2nd Vladimirskaya Street in Kazan was renamed in his honor.
