Alexander Kononov - the forgotten hero of the past

Kononov Alexander Fedorovich is one of those heroes whose name was lost in the sands of time. Therefore, for many, this person remains unknown, since his personality almost never fell under the sights of the media. This is sad, because during the Second World War, he proved himself to be an incredible brave man capable of resisting a whole army of German soldiers.

Before the war years

Kononov Alexander Fedorovich was born on September 12, 1925. His homeland was a small village Vishimo-Utkinsk, which is in the Sverdlovsk region. His parents were from a wealthy class. Therefore, after graduating from four classes, Alexander went to work for local timber production.

It should be noted that this event played an important role in his life. After all, it was here that Alexander Kononov learned how to drive a tractor. In the future, this will help him cope with the T-34, which will become his weapon of retaliation against the German invaders.

The Great Patriotic War

According to official documents, in the ranks of soldiers of the Red Army, Alexander Kononov was enlisted in June 1943. When they learned about his ability to drive a tractor, he was sent to the 11th Training Tank Regiment, where he took the course of a young fighter. And already in December 1943 Kononov got to the front as a mechanic-driver of the T-34 2nd Panzer Army.

He spent most of the war on the 1st and 2nd Ukrainian fronts. In 1944, their division was transferred to the 2nd Belorussian Front. In 1945, along with the rest of the troops, he launched an offensive in the Berlin direction. For all this time, he repeatedly manifested himself as a valiant and judicious warrior, for which he received a reward from the higher leadership.

A brilliant victory over the Germans near Poland

In January 1945, the tank division of Alexander Kononov took a position near the Polish city of Grouec. The Germans here were well equipped, which led to bitter resistance on their part. In addition, in one of the battles, the commander of Alexander tragically perishes, but, instead of falling into a panic, the young man takes command of himself.

As a result, Alexander Kononov showed himself as a born leader. Thanks to his precise orders, enemy communications were destroyed. In addition, he managed to smash 3 tanks, 4 trucks with ammunition, 37 carts with a cargo of Germans, as well as two platoons of enemy soldiers.

Members of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, delighted with such a victory, in February 1945 appropriated to Alexander Fedorovich Kononov the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Later he will be given the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. However, the awards did not stop the young soldier, and he decided to continue the offensive against the enemy. As a result, Kononov with his tank brigade reached Germany itself, taking part in battles on the Elbe River.

Peaceful time

After the war, the foreman of the Soviet Army Alexander Kononov decided to stay in Germany. Here he served until 1950, after which he was demobilized to his homeland. But here for a long time there was nothing left to do, since he found a tractor driver's place in the geological exploration brigade of the Tagil expedition.

In January 1952, he received a promotion, after which he became a senior drilling worker. In 1953 he joined the Vysokogorsky Geological Party, where he worked for the next 27 years. During this time, he managed to conduct not one hundred geological surveys and drilling, most of which were without the slightest hesitation.

Ultimately, the leadership of the party spoke of him as a better worker, capable of solving any problem. In addition, thanks to his efforts, many new deposits were discovered, which was a great contribution to the development of the country's economy.

Retirement years

On retirement Alexander Kononov came out in 1980. However, despite this, he continued to work for several years under the banner of his native party. Only in 1983 he finally abandoned the geological work and moved to a peaceful retirement life in Nizhny Tagil. But even here the great hero proved himself as a real man.

So, Kononov took an active civil position. Over the years, he led educational work with adolescents, instilling in them the spirit of true patriotism. For this in 1995 he was awarded the title of honorary citizen of the city.

Alexander Fedorovich Kononov died on November 29, 2006. The grave of the great Hero of the Soviet Union is located in his native village of Vishimo-Utkinsk, where he was transported by relatives after his death.