Vasily Margelov

Vasily Filippovich Margelov
Native name	Василий Филиппович Маргелов
Born	27 December (O.S. 14 December) 1908 Ekaterinoslav, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire (today Dnipro, Ukraine)
Died	4 March 1990 Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union
Buried	Novodevichy Cemetery
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Service/branch	Soviet airborne
Years of service	1928–1990
Rank	General of the Army
Commands held	49th Guards Rifle Division 76th Guards Air Assault Division 37th Guards Airborne Corps Soviet Airborne Forces
Battles/wars	World War II Soviet invasion of Poland Winter War Battle of Leningrad Battle of Stalingrad Donbass Strategic Offensive
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union Order of Lenin (4) Order of the October Revolution Order of the Red Banner (2) Order of Suvorov 2nd class Order of the Patriotic War 1st class (2) Order of the Red Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star
Spouse(s)	Marya (divorced) Theodosia Selitskaya (divorced) Anna Kurakina
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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]