IVAN USTINOVICH GRINKO
Colonel, Participant of World War II, The Hero of the Soviet Union (November 26, 1944)
He was born on October 6, 1922 in the village of Kuznetsovskiy (now Jurun district of Aktobe region of Kazakhstan) in a peasant family. He was Moldovan. He graduated from the first course of the Tashkent Railway Engineering Technical School. In 1940, Grinko was drafted into the Red Army. In 1942, he graduated from the Chkalov Military Aviation School.
Until August 1944, Captain Ivan Grinko was the deputy commander of the squadron of the 190th Aviation Regiment of the 214th Air Division of the15th Air Force of the 2nd Baltic Front). By this time, he attacked 129 times the enemy’s military equipment and manpower, airfield and defense reserves. He managed to destroy 16 tanks, 97 vehicles, 21 armored units, 19 artillery equipment, 7 railway wagons, 2 ammunition warehouses and more than 100 enemy soldiers and officers. He quelled 2 planes in air battles.
By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 26, 1944, “For exemplary performance of command duties and bravery and heroism in the fight against Nazi invaders on the front”, Captain Ivan Grinko was awarded the title of “The Hero of the Soviet Union”.
In 1946 Grinko went on reserve. In 1952 he was again called up for service. In 1960, Grinko left the army as a colonel. He died on September 14, 1989, and was buried in Uralsk.
GOLD STAR MEDAL OF THE HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION
THE ORDER OF “THE RED BANNER”
THE ORDER OF “ALEXANDR NEVSKIY”
THE ORDER OF “SUVOROV” OF THE 3RD DEGREE
THE ORDER OF “LENIN”
THE ORDER OF “THE PATRIOTIC WAR OF THE I DEGREE”
THE ORDER OF “RED STAR”
THE MEDAL OF “FOR THE DEFENSE OF STALINGRAD”
THE MEDAL OF “FOR THE DEFENSE OF CAUCASUS”
