Admiral Golovko Arseny Grigorievich: photo and biography

. Modern young people, not keen on the military and postwar history of the Russian fleet, hardly know the name of Admiral Golovko . But politicians, historians and fellow sailors are convinced that this outstanding man played a very important role in the formation and development of the navy of the USSR.

Where there is no sea

The city of Prokhladny is located in Kabardino-Balkaria, on the small Malke River. In 1906 Arseniy Golovko was born there. Then it was the edge of mountains, vineyards and horse breeding. His father, a veterinary surgeon, hoped that his son would follow in his footsteps. The necessary, demanded profession in the Cossack village. And Arseny himself thought the same way.

After graduating from the parish school, he enrolled at a factory in Rostov-on-Don. Young people in the twenties actively participated in the public life of the country. There were no indifferent people, everyone was determined to build a new society. Entering the Young Communist League, the young man came to Moscow and enrolled in the Timiryazev Agricultural Academy.

Perhaps he would become a well-known agronomist or zootechnician (talented people are capable of much), would return to his homeland and there he continued the work of his ancestors. But according to the Komsomol voucher, after he had finished his studies for only six months, he went to serve on the workers 'and peasants' Red Fleet. The Party said: "It is necessary!" The Komsomol replied: "Yes!"

On all seas and oceans

And then alternated and combined years of service and study. , адмирала в будущем, быстро заметили и отправили учиться в Военно-морское училище имени Фрунзе. The sensible and savvy Arseniy Golovko , the admiral in the future, was quickly noticed and sent to study at the Frunze Naval School. Then there were courses of commanders, the Naval Academy named after Voroshilov and service in all the fleets of the USSR.

Communist Golovko was serving on the Black Sea destroyer "Frunze", on the gunboat of the Caspian flotilla, on the destroyer of the Baltic Fleet, in the Far East. In 1934 he was transferred to the Pacific Fleet in a brigade of torpedo boats, where a year later he was headed by its headquarters.

Needless to say, the acquired knowledge and experience contributed to rapid career growth. Receiving an order for a new appointment, Arseny Grigorievich began to master a new position. The surviving documents and memoirs of co-workers of those years assert that already in his young years he had a sharp mind, the ability to make quick, non-standard decisions, increased responsibility not only for the combat capability of the equipment entrusted to him, but also for the people he served with.

Tell as an example of such a story. In the severe winter of 1935, he, the chief of staff of the brigade of torpedo boats, in order to save the personnel and their families from freezing in the barracks, washed through and through, summoned from the city ... firefighters. Golovko asked them to pour barracks on the water, an ice dome immediately formed in the severe frost, which protected the shelter from wind and weather. And so we hibernated.

Don Simon Garcia Galvis

такая же бурная, резко меняющаяся и непокорная, как горная река его родного края. Admiral Golovko's biography is as stormy, sharply changing and rebellious as the mountain river of his native land.

In 1936, Arseny Grigoryevich left the Pacific Fleet to Moscow to continue his education at the Naval Academy. But I could not finish my studies again. With a group of volunteers, he was seconded to Spain, in the territory of which battles with fascist invaders were already being fought.

Here Don Simon Garcia Galvis, that was his name, served in Cartagena as an adviser to the commander of the naval base. This was the time of training in practice. пишет, что приобрел в Испании неоценимый опыт, научившись управлять флотом в боевых условиях. In his diary, Admiral Golovko writes that he gained invaluable experience in Spain, having learned to manage the fleet in combat conditions. And it was there that he realized what a maritime convoy was and how much it needed.

But he modestly keeps quiet about the fact that the implementation of combat operations, sometimes depending on the speed and surprise of the commander's decision, taught him to take responsibility, without wasting precious time for approval from above. How many lives he saved! How many times therefore he risked his life!

After returning from Spain, he continued his studies at the academy, and then again served wherever the party sent: the Northern Fleet, the Caspian and Amur flotillas and again the Northern Fleet.

Challenge to the Kremlin

Arseny Grigorievich was only 34 years old when, in 1940, this event was significant for him and for the Northern Fleet of the USSR.

He summoned to Moscow from the Amur, where he commanded the flotilla, People's Commissar of the Navy N.G. Kuznetsov. "We're going to the Kremlin," he said.

Golovko first saw so close Stalin and members of the Politburo. They studied him in silence, but he was embarrassed and blushed. Finally, Voroshilov turned to him and asked him to tell us how things are in the Far East: whether ships are alright, how the Red Fleeters live. Golovko answered. Then Stalin said: "We'll listen to Comrade Kuznetsov." And the People's Commissar began to give a characterization to Arseny Grigorievich. Only then did they start talking about the North.

Stalin stressed the importance of this fleet for Russia, noted that there are a lot of problems and there is a great need for a commander who can provide protection for this direction. "So, then, Comrade Golovko, is he taking on this business?" "So Admiral Golovko describes in his memoirs the first meeting with Stalin and his unexpected appointment.

North again

There were really a lot of problems in Polar. All the destroyers, the basis of the navy of that time, barely breathed. The repair was urgently needed, but there was no ship repair facility. The submarines were no better either. Minesweepers and completely altered from fishing vessels. Personnel also have difficulties: there is no place to live, there is nothing to feed. Only people there have gathered hardened by the north, ready to work and perform their daily feat.

When in November the submarine D-1 was lost along with the entire crew, Golovko, who expected at least resignation, was only given a severe reprimand, recognizing the actions of the captain as erroneous. At the same time, they forbade conducting exercises with the immersion of boats in the open sea to a depth greater than the working one. But, trying to teach the crews to act in real combat conditions, the fleet commander violated the Stavka order, developing operations with diving boats in the polar night, in storms, with maneuvers at depth. The Kremlin pretended not to know about it.

отправлял их экипажи на плавающие эсминцы. While the surface ships were being repaired, the future Admiral of the Fleet Golovko sent their crews to the floating destroyers. There were training and studies.

The inspection, which arrived from Moscow in May 1941, issued a decision: "The fleet is not combat-capable." Most of the ships at this time were still under repair. Despite the expected arrival of the commission, Golovko ordered not to rush and do repair of machinery qualitatively.

He was not removed again, not even a reprimand. The wise admiral, chairman of the commission, believed that in two weeks all the ships would be in service. And Golovko fulfilled his promise, by the beginning of the war all his repaired ships were ready for battle.

"If tomorrow is war ..."

The Nazis had long behaved defiantly on our borders, violated them, and arranged various provocations. The pact of non-aggression Russia respected sacredly, an order was given not to respond to provocations. But they became more insolent.

June 17 over the Kola Peninsula, as over its territory, there was another reconnaissance aircraft, led by a German pilot. He flew calmly and low, so that the figure of the pilot was visible from the ground. He flew over Polyarny, over Vaenga, slowly turned and flew back. Golovko made the mess of his subordinates. Why did not they shoot, where are the fighters? !» "Follow the instructions: if the border is broken by unknown planes, shoot down !"

On the same day, when the Nazis decided to repeat their flight, they were met with amicable fire. But the height was too big, they did not get it.

2. Круглосуточно велись дозорные наблюдения с кораблей, летчики были готовы взлететь в любую минуту. Then, on June 17, despite the fact that no instructions were given from Moscow, Admiral Golovko transferred his fleet to an increased readiness of No. 2. Sentinel surveillance from the ships was conducted round the clock, the pilots were ready to fly at any moment. Arseny Grigorievich together with the commander of land forces of the Leningrad Military District solves questions about joint actions. And all this is arbitrary. Moreover, the commander ordered the ships to leave Polyarny and hide in the surrounding bays of the Kola Bay.

был бы объявлен «врагом народа» и расстрелян. If the war did not begin, there is no doubt that Admiral Golovko Arseny Grigorievich would have been declared an "enemy of the people" and shot. He himself understood this perfectly, but he made decisions on the situation that he observed with his own eyes. This required great courage, no one could disobey Stalin's order. N 1 Головко был уже готов. When the team arrived from Moscow on the transfer of troops to combat readiness N 1 Golovko was already ready.

Combat Northern Fleet

When the Polar bombing began on June 22, it was aimed at destroying the fleet. But there were no ships in the bay, the commander saved them from their death.

The base of the Northern Fleet was Murmansk, which the Germans wanted to take at any cost. At the beginning of the war, complete confusion, there was no connection with the command, there were not enough people. Then Golovko decided to release the local prisoners and form battalions from them. He armed people, and they, along with the Red Army, defended the approaches to Murmansk.

, тот ответил: «Победителей не судят». When Beria came to Stalin for permission to arrest Admiral Golovko , he replied: "Winners are not judged." The Germans, who had gone far into our country, overcame the Golovko area only 40 kilometers. Desperate sailors during counterattacks took helmets and pea jackets and went to the enemy in vests and caps.

Already in August, in the north, a line was established, which the Germans could not overcome during the whole war.

Death of the convoy PQ-17

Even before the official agreement on the second front, Winston Churchill announced his intention to provide humanitarian assistance to Russia. To guard the convoys, the escort zone was divided into two sections: English and Soviet.

At first, Hitler ignored the caravans of the ships. But in 1942, the most powerful battleship Tirpitz was transferred to the shores of Norway, which opened up a hunt for them. Six ships loaded with cargo were sunk in a convoy not waiting for an attack PQ-13. There were still losses. But the convoy PQ-17 was completely destroyed.

When the Tirpitz went into the sea, the convoy followed under the escort of British warships, who immediately received the command to "disperse". The British did not want to meet with the German battleship. As soon as the English ships, who threw unprotected ships with cargo, "crumbled", the Germans attacked the convoy. There were sunk 23 transport, loaded all necessary country, including military equipment.

Our ships did not have time to help, aviation too. The only plane, whose pilot rushed into an unequal battle, managed to score "Tirpitz" and another ship. The Germans surrounded the wounded battleship and, defending it, began to leave for Norway.

In Berlin, they highly appreciated their victory. For the Soviet troops, the death of the convoy had serious consequences, there was not enough equipment.

, но слишком очевидна была вина Британского адмиралтейства. Were wishing to blame Admiral Golovko Arseniy Grigorievich for this , but the fault of the British Admiralty was too obvious. Unable to save the cargo, he still only blamed himself.

The founder of tradition

Who among us has not read the story of Benjamin Kaverin "Two Captains"? There is a place where the author tells about the tradition to arrange a solemn dinner for each sunken enemy ship. And it's not just dinner. The main dish there was a roast suckling pig. "Yesterday, transport, a guard and a destroyer had been sent to the bottom, and concerned cooks brought in not one but three piglets in the officer's mess hall." . This tradition was established in the Northern Fleet by Admiral Golovko . And then it was picked up by others.

May 9, 1945 Arseniy Golovko, Admiral of the Navy of the USSR, said from the rostrum, addressing his subordinates, that he was happy to command such people.

He, who has a lot of different combat awards, gave 85 times to his sailors the highest award, the Star of the Hero, to which he himself was never awarded. Obviously, Stalin could not completely forgive the "arbitrariness" of the unruly admiral.

Personal life of Arseny Grigorievich

Admiral Golovko was married twice. умерла в 1944 году. The first wife died in 1944. The second wife of Arseniy Grigorievich, actress Golovko (Ivanova) Kira Nikolaevna, worked in the Moscow Art Theater. Their acquaintance took place after the war. It was a beautiful and happy couple. With the birth of Misha's son, they were congratulated by Comrade Stalin.

When my husband was sent to work in the Kaliningrad region, she went with him without hesitation. Colleagues dissuaded, threatened to forget the public, the end of his career. But Kira Nikolaevna could not and did not want to part with her husband.

There they lived happy years, they had a daughter, Natasha. And my colleagues were mistaken. Working in the theater of Kaliningrad, she gained experience, which could envy the capital's actresses.

After returning to Moscow she had a remarkable acting career, she was a laureate of the Stalin Prize and a People's Artist of the RSFSR. Головко, фото которого висят в ее комнате повсюду. All the years she carefully cherishes the love of her admiral Golovko, whose photo hangs in her room everywhere. This year, Kira Nikolaevna turned 98 years old. Good health to her!

After the war

In the post-war years, he continued to serve in the ranks of the top leadership of the USSR navy, but in 1952 was sent to the commander of the Baltic Fleet. ? For what is the fall of Arseniy Golovko, Admiral ? Again because of disobedience.

In espionage, Admiral Kuznetsov was accused, under whose command Arseny Grigoryevich worked for a long time. It was on his recommendation that he was appointed before the war commander of the Northern Fleet. The whole public was obliged to condemn the "enemy of the people", and Golovko refused. He was waiting for arrest, but was sent to the city of Baltiysk, Kaliningrad region.

Four years that he lived here, the locals remember with gratitude. A small town was inhabited mainly by the families of the fleet personnel. Soon from Finland began to bring and install panel houses, people have normal housing. In the cleared park on the initiative of Golovko built the Summer Theater. The city was transformed after the terrible battles that were going on in these places. Fleet switched to peacetime staff, mastered new equipment, decommissioned old ships.

In 1956, Admiral Golovko was appointed deputy commander-in-chief of the Soviet Navy. During the tests of nuclear weapons, he became ill with radiation sickness and died May 17, 1962, before reaching the age of 56.

Commander's Commemoration

, на Новодевичьем кладбище, установлен памятник, который создал известный скульптор Лев Кербель. At the grave of Admiral Golovko , at the Novodevichy Cemetery, a monument was erected by the famous sculptor Lev Kerbel. He was acquainted with Arseny Grigorievich and kept to him the most kindly feelings.

In the city of Cool, one of the central streets and the school are named after him. In the city park there is a monument to the fellow countryman. His name was also immortalized by Nalchik, Severomorsk, Baltiysk, Krivoy Rog.

», который ранее называли «Доблестный». After his death, the Navy launched the Admiral Golovko missile cruiser , formerly called the Valiant. Later, he was assigned to the Northern Fleet and served in various seas of the USSR.

командующего выступили с предложением о продлении жизни корабля. When it was decided to write off the RKP "Admiral Golovko", the co-workers of the commander made a proposal to extend the life of the ship. They were supported by the crew of the cruiser, and in 1989 he again began to swim after major repairs.

The glorious life of the ship was repeatedly noted by the encouraging orders of the fleet management. For successful rocket shooting the crew of the ship was repeatedly awarded. « Адмирал Головко» завершил свою 40-летнюю службу. In 2002, the cruiser Admiral Golovko completed its 40-year service.

Ten years later, the name of Arseniy Grigoryevich was given to a new ship, which was built at the shipyards of St. Petersburg. It was assumed that he would quickly get off the stocks. But the story dragged on. In the power plant of the ship, gas turbines of Ukrainian production were used. » уйдет в плавание в конце 2017 года. Now the production of this equipment is being established inside the state and it is expected that the frigate Admiral Golovko will sail at the end of 2017.