Vasily Badanov

Vasily Mikhaylovich Badanov
Васи́лий Миха́йлович Бада́нов
Born December 14, 1895(1895-12-14)
Verkhnyaya Yakushka, Simbirsk Governorate, Russian Empire
Died April 1, 1971(1971-04-01) (aged 73)
Moscow, USSR
Allegiance Russian Empire (1915-1917)
 Soviet Union (1919-1953)
Service/branch Russian Imperial Army
Red Army
Years of service 1915 – 1917
1919 – 1953
Rank Lieutenant-general
Commands held 24th Tank Corps
4th Tank Army
Battles/wars World War I
Russian Civil War
World War II
Awards Order of Lenin,
Order of the Red Banner (3),
Order of Suvorov, 2nd class,
Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class,
various other medals

Vasily Mikhaylovich Badanov (Russian: Васи́лий Миха́йлович Бада́нов; 14 December 1895, Verkhnyaya Yakushka – 1 April 1971, Moscow) was a Soviet military officer and general, best known for his leadership in the Tatsinskaya Raid (1942) and subsequent command of the 4th Tank Army (1943–1944).

Biography

Conscripted into the Russian Army during World War I, Badanov graduated from an officers' school in 1916, one year prior to the Bolshevik Revolution. Serving as a commissar and a staff officer in the Red Army during in the Russian Civil War, Badanov joined the Bolshevik Party in 1919.

Noted for his superb command of the 24th Tank Corps in 1942 during the German Stalingrad campaign, Badanov was promoted to lieutenant-general (a rank above major-general in the Soviet system) soon after the Tatsinskaya Raid and became the first recipient of the Order of Suvorov, second class, in 1943. Badanov commanded the 4th Tank Army in 1943-1944, which he led during the Battle of Kursk.

Badanov was seriously wounded during the Lvov–Sandomierz Offensive, and was assigned to the task of preparing the Soviet tank and mechanized forces for the front line for the remaining portion of the war. He served as the commanding officer of the Central Group of Forces' tank units in 1946-1950.

Badanov retired from the active-duty armed forces in 1953.