Vasily Margelov

Vasily Filippovich 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
Branch	Soviet Army; Soviet Airborne Forces
Service years	1928–1990 (62 years)
Rank	General of the Army
Commands	49th Guards Rifle Division; 76th Guards Air Assault Division; 37th Guards Airborne Corps; Soviet Airborne Forces;
Conflicts	World War II Invasion of Poland; Winter War; Eastern Front 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;
Spouses	Marya (divorced); Theodosia Selitskaya (divorced); Anna Kurakina;
Signature

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 commanded the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) from 1954 to 1959 and from 1961 to 1979. During his total of 23 years commanding the Soviet Airborne Forces, Margelov reformed and modernized the VDV, and was named a Hero of the Soviet Union.

After serving over 60 years in the Soviet military, Margelov retired early in 1990, dying on 4 March in the same year. Author Carey Schofield assessed that Margelov "...is considered to be the real father of the VDV...[leading]...them through their most vital period of development."