VAKHONIN GRIGORIY IVANOVICH
senior sergeant, participant in World War II, Hero of the Soviet Union (January 15, 1944).
He was born on May 25, 1919 in the village of Yanovo (now Zarinsky district of Altai Krai) in a peasant family. He graduated from the 4th grade of school and worked on a collective farm. In 1939 he was drafted into the Red Army.
Participated in World War II from December 1941. He fought in divisional intelligence, went on several reconnaissance missions, and obtained valuable information.
Until September 1943, he was assistant platoon commander of the 417th Special Intelligence Company of the 356th Rifle Division of the 61st Army of the Central Front. Ukraine was active in the liberation of the USSR and in the battle for the Dnieper.
On September 29, 1943, in the village of Radul in the Repki district of Chernigov region, the Vakhonin group unexpectedly struck an enemy detachment from behind, killing 20 soldiers and officers and capturing 5 “tongues”.
On October 1, 1943, he secretly crossed the Dnieper, followed the enemy, and destroyed two firing points that were firing on Soviet troops crossing the river. He took an active part in the battles on the platsdarm on the west bank of the Dnieper, killing more than 30 enemy soldiers and officers.
According to the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 15, 1944, Senior Sergeant Grigory Ivanovich Vakhonin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union “For exemplary performance of combat duties, in the fight against Nazi invaders on the front, for courage and heroism.”
He was discharged in October 1944 after a serious injury. Returning to his homeland, he served as chairman of the Selpo in Yanovo. He later moved to the Uzbek SSR and worked in the Fergana regional catering department. He has lived and worked in Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR, since 1965.
He died on February 24, 1973.
GOLD STAR MEDAL OF THE HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION
THE ORDER OF “LENIN”
