Viktor Sergeevich Cherokov

Born Nov. 10 (23), 1907, in the city of Ordubad, in what is now the Nakhichevan ASSR. Soviet military leader; vice admiral (1951). Member of the CPSU since 1938.

Cherokov joined the Soviet Navy in 1926. He graduated from the M. V. Frunze Naval School in 1930, the Naval Academy in 1939, and the K. E. Voroshilov Military Academy of the General Staff in 1950. Serving in the Baltic Fleet, he commanded a brigade of torpedo boats from 1939 to 1941 and fought in the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939–40. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45, he took command of the Ladoga Naval Flotilla in October 1941 and was named commander of the Riga Naval District in November 1944. He directed the freighting of supplies across Lake Ladoga during the blockade of Leningrad, the defense of Sukho Island, the Tuloksa Operation of 1944, and the blockading of the enemy’s Courland group of forces.

In 1948, Cherokov was named commander of the White Sea Flotilla. He was senior adviser to the Polish Navy from 1950 to 1953 and chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Baltic Fleet from 1953 to 1956. He was named head of a subdepartment at the K. E. Voroshilov Military Academy of the General Staff in 1957 and a department head in 1960. Cherokov has been awarded two Orders of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of Ushakov Second Class, the Order of the Red Star, and various medals. He has also received orders and medals of the Polish People’s Republic.