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Birthday anniversary of Admiral Sergei Gorshkov
«I have never fawned upon others and
never searched for patronage.
Everything that I have achieved
Is earned by the honest and persistent work
in the name of the prosperity of Russia…”.
S. Gorshkov. From the testament left to children and grandchildren
On February 13 (26), 1910 in the town of Kamenetz-Podolsk of Khmelnytskyi Oblast’ (today the Ukraine republic), in a family of teachers, was born the Russian naval commander, the creator of the national nuclear-missile fleet, twice the Hero of the Soviet Union, admiral Sergei Gorshkov.
The destiny of Sergei Gorskhov reflects many of the important events for the country and navy. During 1927-1931he studied at the Frunze Highest Naval School (today the Sea Cadets Corps of Peter the Great). Having graduated he served for several years as the officer of the watch, a navigator on the surface vessels of the Black Sea fleet. At the age of 30 Gorshkov was at the head of the cruisers brigade of the Black Sea fleet. In May of 1941 he completed the advanced training courses for the navy commanders under the Naval Academy.
During the years of the Great Patriotic War the vessels of Gorshkov brigade heroically defended the besieged city of Odessa and succeeded the first landing made in the Black Sea near the village of Grigorievka. In the spring of 1943 the flotilla under his commandment took part in a series of landing and raid operations assisting the troops of the Southern and North-Caucasian fronts. In September of 1944 Gorshkov was given a rank of the vice-admiral and in January of 1945 was assigned the commander of a Black Sea Navy squadron.
The wide experience and an active ground contributed to the successful post-war career of Sergei Gorshkov. In November of 1948 he became the chief staff, and in August of 1951 – the commander of the Black Sea Fleet. On August 3rd, 1953 Gorshkov was awarded the rank of an admiral, from July of 1955 he fulfilled the duties of the first deputy Commander in Chief, and from January of 1956 – the Chief Commander of the Navy and the deputy Defense Minister of the USSR.
In the latter position Gorshkov showed himself as the eminent organizer of the Navy construction and the military theorist who had determined the lines of national navy development for many years. The list of his published works includes over 300 titles. Apart stands the monograph ‘The sea power of the state’. This book became a classic one for the world geopolitics. It was edited several times in the USSR, translated into many languages and published in over than thirty countries.
As a founder of the ocean nuclear-missile navy and its operative use during the military service in the World Ocean, Gorshkov was awarded with many of the Soviet and foreign orders and medals, honorary arms, became a laureate of the State (1980) and Lenin (1985) prizes. He took an active part in the public life and was repeatedly elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. From 1986 Gorshkov was a member of the group of the General inspectors of the USSR Defense Ministry.
Sergei Gorshkov died on May 13th, 1988 and was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery.
Lit.: Абламонов П. Ф. Адмирал. М., 1986; Адмирал Флота Советского Союза С. Г. Горшков [Электронный ресурс] // Большая атомная подводная лодка Псков. 2007-2012; Адмирал Флота Советского Союза С. Г. Горшков: к 100-летию со дня рождения [Электронный ресурс] // РГА МВФ. Б. д. URL: https://rgavmf.ru/sites/default/files/lib/adm_gorshkov.pdf; Выдающемуся флотоводцу ХХ века: научная конференция в ВМА // Морская газета. 2000. 12 февраля (№ 19/20); Горшков С. Г. Во флотском строю: военные мемуары. СПб., 1996; Горшков С. Г. Военно-Морской Флот. М., 1977; Горшков С. Г. Морская мощь государства. М., 1976; Горшков С. Г. На южном приморском фланге (осень 1941 г. — весна 1944 г.). М., 1989; То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://militera.lib.ru/h/gorshkov_sg/index.html; Егоров Ю. Самый большой флот в мире // Море. 1998. № 1; Касатонов И. Флот вышел в океан. М., 1996; Козлов В. Эпоха Горшкова [Электронный ресурс] // Санкт-Петербургский клуб моряков-подводников. 2005-2012; Новосёлов Ф. Адмирал Флота Советского Союза С. Г. Горшков: к 100-летию со дня рождения // Военно-промышленный курьер. 2009. 25 февраля — 3 марта. № 7 (273); То же [Электронный ресурс]. URL: http://makeyev.msk.ru/pub/msys/2009/100letSG.html; Симонов А. А. Горшков Сергей Георгиевич [Электронный ресурс] // Герои страны. 2000-2016. URL: http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=1210.
Based on the Presidential Library’s materials: