USSR Hero Ivan Kustov is 98
A USSR Hero and retired Colonel, Ivan Kustov, is celebrating his 98th birthday today, BelTA reports
Ivan Kustov was born on January 31st, 1924 in the village of Manchazh, Sverdlovsk Region. After graduating from junior high school, he worked at a collective farm and, in August 1942, joined the Red Army. In October 1942, Mr. Kustov began fighting at the Great Patriotic War fronts. In 1943, he graduated from the Sverdlovsk Infantry School.
At the age of 19, Ivan took on leadership of a platoon and, on January 14th, 1945, led an offensive battle – as the commander of the rifle company of the 1052nd Rifle Regiment of the 301st Rifle Division of the 9th Corps of the 1st Belorussian Front’s 5th Shock Army. He was then awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title and the Gold Star medal. The young commander, jointly with his unit, managed to break through the enemy's defences while crossing the Pilica River near the village of Vyboruw, close to Poland’s Magnuszew. Mr. Kustov's soldiers crossed the river covered with thin ice, captured the enemy and kept hold of them until the Soviet regiment arrived.
Mr. Kustov was wounded several times in battles on three fronts: Southern, 1st Belorussian and 3rd Ukrainian. He personally captured 25 of the enemy and killed dozens of German soldiers.
The veteran was awarded numerous orders – those named after Lenin, B. Khmelnitsky of the 3rd degree, two orders of the Great Patriotic War of the 1st degree, two orders of the Red Star, the Order For Service to the Motherland of the 3rd degree, and also jubilee medals.
Mr. Kustov once said that his strong belief in victory and powerful front-line brotherhood helped him overcome difficulties with optimism. The commander managed to defeat the enemy thanks to his deep love for the people and a strong inner fire that was common for our soldiers.
After the war, Ivan Kustov continued his service in the Soviet Army. The Colonel retired in 1979 and, since then, he worked at the Belpromproekt Institute as Chief of the Civil Defence Staff.
The Victory Day of 1945 is distancing from us, while war eyewitnesses and participants of the battles against fascism are passing away. With this in view, special attention is paid to all veterans in Belarus. Among them is the only Hero of the Soviet Union: Ivan Kustov.
On the eve of the 76th anniversary of Soviet people’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War, an impromptu concert with participation of a military orchestra took place under the windows of Ivan Kustov’s house. The hero and his wife received congratulations from Belarus’ Defence Minister and greeted the army musicians out of their window.
