Pavel Molodykh, a veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, was born

Pavel Molodykh, a lieutenant colonel of the Soviet Army and a participant in the Great Patriotic War, was born on February 23, 1915 (March 8, according to the Gregorian calendar). He was born in the village of Ust-Lamenka, now part of the Golyshmanovsky district in Tyumen region.

After completing his education at the seventh grade, Molodykh worked as a secretary for the Udarnik newspaper in Omutinsky district from 1931 to 1934. In 1936, he graduated from Tyumen Art School and joined the Kolkhozny Put newspaper in Golyshmanovsky district.

Between 1937 and 1940, Molodykh served in the Red Army. After his service ended in December 1940, he returned to his home and continued working with the Kolkhozny Put paper. In September 1941, Molodykh joined the front lines of the Great Patriotic War and fought until the end of the conflict.

In 1942, after being injured by P.P. Molodykh, he completed the courses at the Tallinn Military Infantry Advanced Training College for Political Personnel, which had been evacuated to Tyumen. As a political officer, he served on the 1st Baltic and 3rd Belorussian Fronts.

The first award, the Order of the Red Star, was given to Captain P. Molodykh in 1943, for his bravery during the assault on Demidovo (Smolensk region) as the deputy battalion commander for political affairs of the 403rd Infantry Regiment, 145th Division. He was wounded again that year, but recovered quickly and returned to service after treatment.

During the offensive operations, P. Molodykh was always at the forefront of infantry battles. On July 14, 1944, while crossing the Neman River near Alytus, Lithuania, thanks to his decisive and skilled actions, the battalion he led was able to gain a foothold on the bridgehead. The next day, July 15, they repelled a counterattack involving infantry and 20 enemy tanks. P.P. Molodykh personally directed anti-tank artillery fire, which destroyed six enemy tanks. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, dated March 24, 1945, Captain P.P. Molodykh was awarded the highest title of Hero of the Soviet Union, with the Order of Lenin and Gold Star medal, for his courage and bravery shown during the crossing of the Neman River and capture and holding of a bridgehead on the western bank.

After the end of the war, P. Molodykh continued serving in the Soviet Army. In 1958, he was discharged from the reserves with the rank of lieutenant colonel and settled in Minsk, where he lived and worked.

He passed away on December 31st, 1997, at the age of 83, and was buried in Minsk, his hometown after the war.

In 2009, one of the streets in the village of Golyshmanovo, Tyumen Region, was named after him by a decree of the Duma.

Lit.: Герои земли Тюменской: [сборник] / сост. Н. Данилин, А. Поторочин, Н. Д. Радченко. Свердловск, 1968; Герои земли Тюменской: историческая литература / сост.: М. М. Никифирова, Н. Д. Радченко, А. Поторчин, Свердловск, 1975; Герои земли Тюменской: сборник / сост. Н. Т. Вокуев. Тюмень, 1991; Герои земли Тюменской / автор-сост. Бажин А. И. Тюмень, 2023; Полещук И. Н. Герои Советского Союза земли Тюменской. Тюмень, 2023; Молодых Павел Петрович : [личная страница] // Память народа [Электронный ресурс]. URL: https://clck.ru/3G6NhY.

Based on the materials of Presidential Library:

Батехтин П. О грязи, пауках и блюстителях законности // Колхозный призыв. 1941. № 59 (1277). 18 мая (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Молодых П. Засеяны первые 20 га // Колхозный призыв. 1941. № 59 (1277). 18 мая (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Молодых П. Собрание коммунистов райисполкома // Колхозный призыв. 1941. № 50 (1268). 27 апреля (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Молодых Павел Петрович [биографическая статья] // Герои Советского Союза: краткий биографический словарь: [В 2 т.]. Т. 2: Любов - Ящук. 1988. М., 1988. С.106–107 (доступно в электронном читальном зале);

Fatherland Defenders // Memory of the Great Victory: [digital collection]

The article was prepared by Tyumen branch of the Presidential Library