Ivan Flyorov

Ivan Andreyevich Flyorov (Flyorov, _ru. Иван Андреевич Флёров) (April 24, 1905 – October 7, 1941), captain of the Red Army, was the commander of the first battery of 8 "Katyushas" (BM-8), which was formed in Lipetsk and on July 14, 1941 was used in a battle against the German army at Orsha in Belarus, with shock effect on the enemy and mass casualties: a single salvo destroyed several German freight trains with ammunition, fuel and tanks, annihilating the station itself.

In autumn 1941, Flyorov's battery was surrounded stuck in swamps by the Ugra River and heavily shelled by mortars. After running out of ammunition, Flyorov ordered to destroy the machines. During the escape from the encirlement Flerov was killed, together with over 75% of his command.

The composer of the song "Katyusha" Matvey Blanter in an interview to "Trud" newspaper told that while visiting the place of the event he has found a tree with a guiding rail of a "Katusha" stuck in the trunk and arranged its delivery to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, Moscow.

Flyorov was awarded Hero of the Soviet Union on June 21, 1991, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the victory.

References

* [http://info.trud.ru/trud.php?id=200006221130602&print=1 A Song for which a Monument was Erected] ("Trud" newspaper, June 22, 2000)