Alexey Tereshkov

Alexey Dmitrievich Tereshkov (; ; 17 March 189318 March 1960) was a Belarusian Soviet Army Lieutenant general and a Hero of the Soviet Union. Tereshkov fought in World War I as a non-commissioned officer and then as a platoon leader. After the February Revolution he joined the Bolshevik party and became a partisan fighting against German troops in Belarus. Tereshkov became a Red Army officer and fought in the Russian Civil War as a company commander. He fought in the Spanish Civil War and after Operation Barbarossa, was commander of the 413th Rifle Division in the Far East. The division fought in the Battle of Moscow. In May 1943, Tereshkov was appointed Commander of the 38th Rifle Corps, leading the corps during the Battle of Smolensk, Operation Bagration, Vistula–Oder Offensive, and the Battle of Berlin. He was awarded the title "Hero of the Soviet Union" for his leadership in the Vistula–Oder Offensive. Postwar, Tereshkov led the 113th and 5th Guards Rifle Corps. He retired in 1953 and died in 1960.

Early life and career Tereshkov was born on 17 March 1893 in the village of Karma in Mogilev Governorate. From the time he was a child, Tereshkov helped his father in carpentry, then became a bricklayer. Tereshkov built houses in Shuya, Moscow and Kiev. In 1913, he was drafted into the Imperial Russian Army. After the beginning of World War I, he was sent to the front. In the fall of 1914, Tereshkov was wounded in the leg near Lemberg. After his recovery, Tereshkov graduated from short courses and became a senior non-commissioned officer. He was again sent to the front. For his actions, he was awarded three Crosses of St. George and three Medals of St. George. Tereshkov became a platoon leader at the front. He joined the Bolsheviks immediately after the February Revolution. Tereshkov deserted from the army and returned to Karma. The corps fought in Operation Bagration. The corps helped encircle German troops around Mogilev. During the Minsk Offensive the corps rapidly advanced and captured Chavusy and Chervyen’. During the crossing of the Vistula the corps helped hold the Puławy bridgehead. On 3 November Tereshkov was awarded a third Order of the Red Banner. In January 1945, the corps fought in the Vistula–Oder Offensive. The corps broke through German defenses on the bridgehead and started to pursue retreating German troops. The corps crossed the Warta and fifteen days later, having advanced 400 kilometers, the corps crossed the Oder and captured a bridgehead in the Fürstenberg area. On 21 February, Tereshkov received the Order of Lenin. On 6 April 1945, Tereshkov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin for his leadership during the offensive. The corps then fought in the Berlin Offensive. On 20 April Tereshkov was promoted to lieutenant general. On 29 May he was awarded the Order of Kutuzov 2nd class.

Postwar Tereshkov became commander of the 113th Rifle Corps in November 1945. On 11 January 1947 he became commander of the 5th Guards Rifle Corps. Both corps were part of the 39th Army, stationed in the Liaodong Peninsula. On 20 June 1949 Tereshkov was awarded a fourth and last Order of the Red Banner. In May 1950 he became deputy commander of the Gorky Military District. Tereshkov retired in 1953 due to his age and lived in Gorky. He died on 18 March 1960 and was buried in the Marina Roshcha cemetery.