Goriushkin, Nikolai Ivanovich

Goriushkin, Nikolai Ivanovich 

Born Nov. 18 (Dec. 1), 1915, in Sharapkino village, Roven’ki Raion, present-day Voroshilovgrad Oblast; died Nov. 12, 1945. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Jan. 10, 1944, and Apr. 10, 1945), and a major (1945). Member of the CPSU from 1943.

Goriushkin was born into a miner’s family and was a miner himself. In 1937 he joined the Soviet Army. He graduated from Uriupinsk Military Infantry School, in 1941. Beginning in July 1941 he fought in World War II on the Southwest, Briansk, Central, Voronezh, and other fronts. He commanded a platoon, a company, and a motorized rifle battalion, and in April 1945 he became deputy commander of the 22nd Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade. He distinguished himself in the forced crossing of the Dnieper and Oder rivers and in holding the bridgeheads on their western banks, for which he was twice given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and medals. There is a bust of Goriushkin in the city of Sverdlovsk, Voroshilovgrad Oblast.