(5. 8. 1915)
In IKTOR I. Ponomarenko, second lieutenant, commander of a tank platoon 170 Panzer Brigade Kirovograd. Born August 5, 1915 in g. Engels, Saratov region. Ukrainetz. He graduated from junior high school. In 1937 he was drafted into the Red Army.
From March 1944 until the end of the Great Patriotic War, fought against the Nazi invaders on the 2 nd Ukrainian Front. He participated in the liberation of Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, defeating the enemy on the territory of Austria. For military distinction and impeccable service in the Soviet Army awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1 st degree (1944), . Red Star (1952), . medals "For Victory over Germany in World War II 1941 - 1945 gg.", . "For perfect service" 1-th degree, and three commemorative medals.,
. W tion of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold Star" Victor I. Ponomarenko awarded on Sept. 13, 1944 for bravery and courage, . shown in the battle for the station Hoschevato and capture the enemy's crossing over the river Southern Bug.,
. D of 1959 VI
. Ponomarenko served in the Soviet Army. Major stock, lived in Mr.. Volgograd, worked as a fitter at a ceramic factory.
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In March 1944 the enemy, . broken armies near Uman 2 First Ukrainian Front, . sought to move away as quickly as possible for the Southern Bug River, . to put in order the parts and organize a strong defense,
. The withdrawal was covered by the rear guard, who put up a stubborn resistance to our advancing troops.
. On the morning of March 11 tank platoon under the command Ponomarenko, acting in the vanguard of the brigade, moved in the direction of the railway station Hoschevato
. Small groups of enemy retreated without resistance, but very active showed Luftwaffe. "Junkers" had bombed three platoon Ponomarenko. Two tanks shrapnel bombs were disabled.
Germans defending the station Hoschevato, were caught off guard. After a short battle, they fled to the village, leaving the battlefield about 100 killed. In the hands of the tank hit the stores of grain and fuel, which the enemy had no time to take. Having mastered the station, the tank Ponomarenko cut the Gayvoron - Pervomaysk, interrupted the movement of trains on this sector.
. In the hours when the tankers were released Hoschevato station, the Germans still held Gayvoron, sending out at Pervomaisk last trains with food and loot
. The station reported to the lieutenant that the commandant of the station Gayvoron requests that a troop train. Ponomarenko agreed. Camouflaged tank, he gave the Nazis a fitting welcome: well-aimed shots disabled the engine and the tail carriage. The train stopped. Of the cars are popping up Nazis, accompanying the cargo. Our tankers destroyed them with machine-gun fire.
Ponomarenko evening hosted a similar meeting to the second echelon Nazis sent by Gayvoron in a southerly direction.
The Nazis had gathered in a. Hoschevato, situated near the station. Recovering from the unexpected blow, and determining that the acts before them, only a small group of Soviet soldiers, they made a strong counterattack, trying to regain an important highway. Ponomarenko and his crew for 20 hours kept the station until reinforcements arrived, yet.
On the morning of March 13, after obtaining the completion of two tanks, Ponomarenko attacked the enemy in a. Hoschevato. The battle lasted all day. Nazis desperately resisted, but the evening did not stand the continuous strikes the tank and withdrew from the village across the river. On the shoulders of the retreating enemy Ponomarenko crossed the Southern Bug and organized the defense seized crossing. Attempts to return the enemy's bridge failed. In this battle, tank crews killed more than 100 fascists, 2 guns, 4 machine guns, and seized anti-aircraft gun with the calculation, 6 vehicles and clothing warehouse property. Seized by the bridge was once used to ferry our troops.
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Sources:
1) Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary. V.2. M.: Voeniz.1988.
2) Rumyantsev.N.M. People legendary heroism ". Saratov. 1968
