Vasily Margelov

Vasily Filippovich Margelov
Native name
Василий Филиппович Маргелов
Born27 December (O.S. 14 December) 1908
Ekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire (today Dnipro, Ukraine)
Died4 March 1990
Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Buried
Allegiance Soviet Union
Service / branchSoviet airborne
Years of service1928–1990
RankGeneral of the Army
Commands
Battles / wars
Awards
Spouse(s)
  • Marya (divorced)
  • Theodosia Selitskaya (divorced)
  • Anna Kurakina
Signature

Vasily Filippovich Margelov (Russian: Васи́лий Фили́ппович Марге́лов; Belarusian: Васі́ль Пілі́павіч Марге́лаў; 27 December [O.S. 14 December] 1908 – 4 March 1990) was a Red Army General who was the commander of the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) from 1954 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1979.[1] Margelov modernized the VDV and was a Hero of the Soviet Union.[2][3]

Author Carey Schofield wrote that Margelov "...is considered to be the real father of the VDV...[leading]...them through their most vital period of development."[4]

  1. ^ Kruglov, V.A. "МАРГЕЛОВ Василий Филиппович — Десантура.ру – о десанте без границ". desantura.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2015-10-08.
  2. ^ Lebed, Aleksandr (1997-09-01). General Alexander Lebed: My Life and My Country. Regnery Publishing. ISBN 9780895264220.
  3. ^ Десантник но. 1 Генерал армии Маргелов [Paratrooper No. 1 Army General Margelov] (in Russian). ОLMA Media Group. 2003-01-01. ISBN 9785948490878.
  4. ^ Schofield, Carey (1993). The Russian Elite: Inside Spetsnaz and the Airborne Forces. Greenhill Books. p. 33.