Vasily Margelov

Vasily was a strong leader.

He led soldiers who jump from planes. He worked in many jobs when he was young. He worked in a bakery and a shop.

Later, he led the airborne forces for a long time. He helped make new parachutes. He also helped get new planes for the soldiers. He was a very important leader. Many people still remember him today.

Vasily Margelov was a famous leader in the Soviet military.

He was born in 1906. As a young man, he held many different jobs. He worked in a bakery and a timber shop. He also worked in a mine.

Margelov joined the army in 1928. He fought in many wars. During World War II, he led many groups of soldiers. He was wounded during the fighting. In 1944, his group captured the city of Kherson. For this, he became a Hero of the Soviet Union.

Later, he led the airborne forces. These are soldiers who jump from planes. He led them for 23 years. He helped make new parachute systems. He also helped bring in new planes like the Il-76.

These tools helped soldiers move more easily.

Many people call him the father of the airborne forces. He died in 1990. Today, many cities have monuments to him.

One monument is in the city of Chišināu.

Vasily Margelov was a famous leader in the Soviet military.

He is often called the real father of the VDV. The VDV are the airborne forces. These are special soldiers who jump from planes. Margelov spent 23 years leading these forces. He helped them grow and change during a very important time. He worked to make the airborne forces modern and strong. He was even named a Hero of the Soviet Union for his work.

Margelov helped the airborne forces by using new technology. He wanted soldiers to have better tools for their jobs. He helped make many parachute systems in large amounts. He also helped bring new planes into service. These planes were called the An-22 and the Il-76.

One special parachute was the PP-127. This system allowed large vehicles to be dropped from the sky. This made it much easier for soldiers to move quickly.

His life began a long time ago in 1906. He was born in the city of Ekaterinoslav. His parents came from Belarus. As a young man, he held many different jobs. He worked as a carpenter and a loader. He also worked in a bakery and a mine. Later, he worked in the timber industry. He even worked in a tanning shop. These early jobs taught him many different skills.

Margelov had a very long and busy military career. He joined the Red Army in 1928. He fought in several wars during his life. During World War II, he led many different groups of soldiers. He was wounded during the fighting on Lake Ladoga. In 1944, his division captured the city of Kherson. Because of this, he received a very high honor. He later became a general of the army in 1967.

Today, many people remember Vasily Margelov. He died in Moscow on March 4, 1990. Many cities have built monuments to honor him.

You can find monuments in places like Tula and St. Petersburg. There is also a monument in the city of Chișinău. A school for airborne soldiers is named after him. A street in Moscow also carries his name. His work changed how airborne soldiers operate today.

Vasily Filippovich Margelov was a high-ranking general in the Soviet military. He is most famous for his leadership of the Soviet Airborne Forces, known as the VDV. He commanded these forces for a total of 23 years. His leadership occurred in two main periods: from 1954 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1979. Many historians consider him the true father of the VDV. This is because he led the forces through their most vital period of development. He modernized the troops and changed how they operated on the battlefield.

Margelov's early life was defined by hard physical labor. He was born on December 27, 1906, in Ekaterinoslav. His parents were from Belarus. As a teenager, he worked many different jobs to make a living. He worked as a loader and a carpenter. He also worked as an apprentice in a tanning shop. Later, he worked in a local bakery and a mine. He even worked in the timber industry. These experiences shaped his character before he joined the military in 1928.

His military career included service in several major conflicts. During the Winter War, he commanded a separate ski reconnaissance battalion. He also fought during World War II. During this time, he led various regiments and divisions. He was wounded during a raid on Lake Ladoga in November 1941. In 1944, his division captured the city of Kherson. This achievement led to him being named a Hero of the Soviet Union on March 19, 1944. He later participated in many large-scale offensives across Europe.

After the war, Margelov focused on the technical side of airborne warfare. He wanted the VDV to be more mobile and modern. He pushed for the mass production of advanced parachute systems. He also helped bring large transport planes into service. These included the An-22 and the Il-76 aircraft. One major achievement was the development of the PP-127 parachute. This specific system allowed the VDV to airdrop BMD-1 infantry fighting vehicles. This meant soldiers could jump with heavy equipment to fight immediately.

This goal of mechanization was a major focus for his family as well. His son, Aleksandr Vasilyevich Margelov, was a senior engineer for the VDV. Aleksandr worked to make sure new drop systems were safe for soldiers. In 1973, Aleksandr became the first person to drop from an An-12B airplane inside a BMD-1. He was testing the Kentavr multiple parachute system. The test was successful, but the many ropes made the vehicle hard to move. Because of this, a new system called the Reaktavr was developed. This system used three rocket boosters to land vehicles gently and horizontally.

Margelov also managed large-scale military operations. In May 1967, he played a crucial role in Operation Rhodopes-67. This was a massive deployment of Warsaw Pact airborne forces in Bulgaria. The goal was to show strength near the Greek border. The operation involved the 106th Airborne Landing Division and marine infantry. Although a Bulgarian general was the overall commander, Margelov was the person actually in charge. This success led to his promotion to general of the army later that year. He also organized operations during the invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Vasily Margelov died in Moscow on March 4, 1990, at the age of 81. He had served in the military for over 60 years. His legacy lives on through many memorials and honors. There are monuments to him in cities like Tula, St. Petersburg, and Chișinău. The Ryazan Higher Airborne Command School is named in his honor. Additionally, a street in Moscow carries his name. The Russian Ministry of Defence even created the "Army General Margelov" medal for VDV soldiers. His work fundamentally changed how airborne forces function in modern warfare.