Underwater hunter. Ivan Vasilyevich Herkin. Herkin Ivan Vasilyevich Herbin Hero of the Soviet Union

Herkin Ivan Vasilyevich - commander of the submarine (pl) "K-52" brigades of submarines of the red-known Baltic fleet, captain of the 3rd rank.
Born 17 (30) August 1908 in the city of Naro-Fominsk, now the Moscow region in the family family. Russian. He graduated from 10 classes. He worked as a monterer at the textile factory of his native city.
In the Red Army since 1930, in the USSR naval fleet since 1931. Member of WCP (b) / CPSU since 1930. In 1936 he graduated from the Naval School named after M.V. Frunze. From June 1936, he served on the Red Baltic Fleet - the commander of the steering group, then the commander of the BCH 1 (the navigator combat part) of the submarine "SH-303" ("Yershch"), from April 1938 - the flagship navigator division of submarines. In March-July, 1939 he studied in the educational detachment of scuba diving named after S.M. Kirov. After his end, from July 1939 - Assistant commander of the submarine "B-2", from February 1940 - the commander of his first submarine "Sh-303".
In the fights of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. In the first year of the war, the boat produced overhaul and did not go to the sea. Then, on this boat, I performed 3 combat moves. In the first campaign, in July 1942, the commander reported on the sweating of the two enemy transports, in the second - about the sump of at once 3 transports and one guard. Only damage to the German transport with troops on July 20, 1942 is reliably confirmed. In the third campaign, in May 1943, because of the strong persecution of the opponent and the damage gained, attacking the enemy failed, the ship returned to the base with great difficulty. Underwater boat "Sch-303" under his command March 1, 1943 received the Guards Naval Flag.
From February 1944 he performed the responsibility of the commander of the submarine "K-53" (no exits in the sea did not perform), and from March 1944 to the end of the war - the commander of the submarine "K-52". It performed 3 fighting campaigns in November 1944, February-March and in April 1945. He reported on the heating of 7 by transport and 1 watchdog ship, no victory is confirmed by the enemy.
In just two years of war, two submarines under the command of I.V. Herkina performed 6 combat trips (166 days in the sea), produced 20 torpedo attacks (50 torpedoes were released). According to the reports I.V. Herkina destroyed 2 warships and 12 enemy transports. In fact, the only confirmed victory is damage to the German transport in 1942.
Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 20, 1945, the captain of the 3rd rank Herkina Ivan Vasilyevichfor a skilled command of a submarine and manifested courage and heroism in battles with the German-fascist invaders awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the "Golden Star" medal.
After the war, he continued to serve in the USSR Navy. From October 1946 - Head of the headquarters of the educational division of submarines of the Baltic Fleet. From April 1948 - Head of Staff, and since July 1949 - the commander of the division of submarines of the 1st red-known brigade of submarines of the Baltic Fleet (Liepaja). In December 1949, aims to study.
In 1951 he graduated from the academic courses of officers at the Naval Academy named after K.E. Voroshilova. From January 1950 - the senior teacher of the highest special officer classes of the USSR Navy. From October 1952 - Advisor to the head of the officers of the educational detachment of scuba diving of the naval department of the Union Control Commission in Germany. Since September 1953, a teacher of the Military Legal Academy. From December 1956, the captain of the 1st rank Herkin I.V. - in reserve.
In 1959-1965, he worked at the Military Establishment of the USSR Ministry of Defense. In 1966-1973, the Senior Engineer of the Department of Educational Institutions of the Ministry of Marine Fleet of the USSR.
He lived in Moscow. Died on June 14, 1985. He was buried in Moscow at the Kuntsevsky cemetery (plot 9-2).
Captain 1st Rank (12/27/1950). Awarded three orders of Lenin (08/15/1942, 04/20/1945, ...), two orders of the Red Banner (09/09/1943, ...), Ushakov 2-de degree orders (05.26.1945), the Patriotic War of the 1st degree (03/11/1985), Red Star, Medals "For Combat Merit" (1944), "For the defense of Leningrad" (1943), other medals, a foreign award-cross "Naval Cross" (USA, 1942).
His name is immortalized on a memorial plaque with the names of the heroes of the Soviet Union of the Brigade of the Baltic Fleet submarines installed on the Alley of Glory in the city of Kronstadt.
Works:
In the waters of the gray baltic. M., 1959;
All deaths called. 2nd ed. M., 1976;
Two - good score. // Sea Collection. 1975. No. 11, p. 88-90.
Thank you, Ilya Kurganov, an officer of the Navy, - for the kindly granted photo of the hero!

Admitted Timur Karimov (04.26.2015).

Biography provided by Ufarkin Nikolai Vasilyevich (1955-2011)

Ivan Vasilyevich appeared on August 30, 1908 in the family of a worker in the near Moscow town of Naro-Fominsk. His father was called Vasily Nikolayevich, and he had eight children. He worked, like all herbins, on the only textile factory in the city. In 1916, Vasily Nikolayevich, among many other enterprise employees, called for military service, and did not see him more Vanya. At the textile factory, there was the only school of primary learning in the city, in which he was sent to Ivan. The years of the civil war were for the herbian family with the most difficult. There was nothing to wear, there was nothing to eat. To none of the children do not die from hunger, the mother besides the main work of Tktchikha managed to wash on people and wash the floors. And Vanya with the younger brother went to the station to be able to ask for a soldier with crackers or bread traverses. He often missed school classes and, in the end, in the third grade was left for the second year. Five-year school Herkin graduated in 1922, then there was a school and, finally, the work of the Monter in the factory. In 1930, he joined the WCP (b), and in the same year he was called in RKKK. In the Naro-Fominsky military registration and enlistment office, the young man asked for a fleet, however, in 1930, the "marine" there was no discontinuing, and Ivan Vasilyevich was in the army in the second rifle regiment of the Moscow Proletarian Division.

The service in the exemplary part was not easy - construction classes were replaced by the lessons on the technique of shooting and political tech. Despite the days filled with the days of the Day of the Day of the sea did not leave, and at each convenient case, Herkin asked the company's commander to assist his translation to the fleet. About sending exams to the Higher Naval School. Frunze The young man received in the summer of 1931. However, it turned out to be rejoiced, as it turned out, Ivan Vasilyevich was clearly lacking for admission to an educational institution. However, after a conversation with the head of the school, herbin was surprised by many, but not at the first course, but on the preparatory. For the year he needed to fill the gaps of his education. And Ivan Vasilyevich took up the mind - he was sitting on the textbooks and ten, and at twelve hours a day without weekends and holidays. For the year, the target was performed - Herkin caught up with the best cadets.

School Ivan Vasilyevich finished in 1936. After successful exams, he was appointed to the Red Banner Baltic Fleet by the navigator of one of the oldest at the Baltic submarine Sch-303. In April 1938, Herkina put the flagship navigator of the entire division pl. In addition, he studied in the training squad of the Kirov's scuba diving at the end of which in 1939 became an assistant commander of the B-2 submarines commander. Finally, in February 1940, he was appointed commander of the submarine Sch-303 in February 1940.

Even before the start of the war, the submarine Ivan Vasilyevich was transferred to the educational division, however, due to the beginning of the fighting, it was returned to the system. Requirement and modernization of the submarine was in Kronstadt, and herbin with his team and workers of the sea factory worked on it from morning to night. At the end of August, Baltflot decided to leave the base in Tallinn. From there, about hundreds of warships were transferred to Kronstadt, subsequently actively involved in the defense of Leningrad. I could not destroy the fleet at the transition, the enemy decided to do it in the harbor. In mid-September, on the ships placed in Kronstadt, artillery struck. On the next days, the enemy has connected a huge number of its aircraft to the attack. In particular, on September 21, about 180 enemy machines flew over Kronstadt in the sky. Herkin, standing on the bridge of the boat, led the fire of the ship's fortypiped, whose "voice" was shattered in the roar of the large guns of the destroyers and battleships. Two days later, 270 aircraft attacked the marine plant and ships. And the land moans again, and boiling water. Many ships were damaged, two workshops were destroyed at the factory, the building of the MPVO headquarters and the gentle wall were stopped.

The commander "She-303" I.V. Herkin on the deck of her ship

In early October, Ivan Vasilyevich received an order to move Shp 303 to Leningrad. It was not easy to do this - enemy tools that were launched in the nearest suburbs that were taking the ships on the bay. After spending a submarine at night, Herkin moored her to the former royal yacht "Polar Star", which stood opposite the Hermitage. The commander of the "Polar Star" posted the Ek-303 crew with all the amenities, in addition, the swimbase supplied the boat with electricity and water.

Upon arrival in Leningrad, Ivan Vasilyevich's concern for the boat was anxious for his family (by that time, the sailor had time to marry, and he had two daughters). Herkin believed that his wife Lidia Alexandrovna with children, as well as her niece, mother and grandmother, managed to evacuate. However, this was not the case - their echelon, and was not shipped. Meanwhile, the blockaded town became worse with food, the supply of electricity ceased, there was no water. Food delivery on Ladoga Lake and through the air was negligible. In the twentieth of November, the fifth time decreased rates of bread - workers began to give 250 grams per day, and 125 for children and dependents were restlessly and on the submarine - frequent anxiety, malnutrition, permanent dutymen were exhausted sailors.

At the end of the year, Ivan Vasilyevich wrote in the diary: "December 1. Men, women, children, everyone die from hunger. Broken without coffins (a tree - on the weight of gold), wrapping into some rags. 9th December. I received a letter from my mother. He writes that he left Naro-Fominsk. War reached my city. December 16th. The Commissioner handed the joyful news - near Moscow stopped fascists. December 19th. City transport does not work. Explaced workers accounted for through the entire city to get to the plant. But go, repair ships and, produce mines and shells. Real heroes. " Sometimes Ivan Vasilyevich was able to break out home, treat his native remnants of his scanty soldering. At the end of December, the number of products delivered through the lady began to exceed the daily flow rate, and from 24 numbers of the extraction of bread were slightly increased. Despite the frost, people went to the streets and hugged each other. That day the city triumphed. And in the first days of January, the submarine was replenished instead of the sailors who went to the front. Herkin ripped out those who came: "They will take care of the ship, he will repay you the same."

At the beginning of the new 1942, Ivan Vasilyevich wrote: "January 22. Frost forty degrees. On firewood, the townspeople break the last wooden buildings. Submariners cut the holes in the ice, of which people take water. All winter they challenge on this "water supply". January 23. Visited at home. In the rooms of the stew, the windows are clogged with plywood, the walls have spacing from the smoke of the stub. Mother of his wife, without preparing shocks, lost the reason. The scrambled wife barely moves, girls with frying dystrophiks, sit on the bed and eat chowel from the joinery glue. " At the end of January, Herkin spent relatives to evacuation. During this trip, Lydia Alexandrovna's mother died, and then her grandmother. He herself, courageous woman froze his feet. Doctors offered amputate both feet, but she refused and subsequently managed to cure them. The Schuki commander himself learned about all this much later.

After sending the family, Ivan Vasilyevich devoted all his time to repairing submarines, as well as solitary, private and general exercises. By February 23, all work on the ship was completed, and at the end of March the command warned commander of courts to prepare an opponent of another operation against. Even before the opening, the Germans were calculated to apply the simultaneous strike of artillery and air from the air through the shovels of ice. By the way, German pilots were trained on Lake Ilmen, on the ice of which, German soldiers painted the image of the image of Russian ships. On the ice everything went smoothly, however, when April 4, the opponent aircraft flew to the city, they met by a friendly fire Zenitchiki. The flare was successfully repulsed, in two days the enemy lost 26 bombers. Herkin during an attack, despite the "polar stars" and submarine bombs, was on the bridge.

The trial immersion of the Fleet submarine began to perform only in May 1942. To work tasks, a river area was chosen between Okhtinsky and foundry bridges, where there were greatest depths. Sch-303 with success withstanding all the tests and the command of the brigade was recognized as ready for a combat campaign. By that time, the fascists, seeing in Russian submarines a huge threat to their shipping, established minno-network barriers in Finnish bay. The enemy gladly reported that rather, British submarines would pass through the Danish straits in the Baltic Sea, rather than submarines of Russians will come out of Kronstadt. However, the last word was behind the submariners, and in the 1942 campaign of the 1942, the Fleet leadership suggested a plan for the onset of a submarine in three groups (10-12 boats), the first of which included ships with the most prepared crews. This referred here and Sh-303.

In the first combat campaign, Ivan Vasilyevich's ship was left on July 4, 1942. The submarine under diesel engines was moved at an outdrawal position, trawls were walking ahead, who defended Ming, on the sides - the boat of their favor, and the fighters were bored in the sky. The next day, Sh-303 approached the shores of Lavensari Island, where Herbin received the latest guides and information about the situation in the sea. The Finnish Bay of Herkin successfully forced in the underwater position, and in the evening of July 11, after the flooded surface, the submarine was discovered by the opponent's aircraft. While the steering took the steering to the depth, the enemy from the far distance opened the machine-gun fire on the submarine. And soon the bombs began to ride, the light of the boat began to go out and the electric drives of the steering wheel were out. The crew until the electricians eliminate the damage came, moved to manual control.

Around the midnight "Pike" travelers pop up, and soon the observer discovered the vehicles of the enemy - a vessel with displacement of seven thousand tons, which went under the protection of three small ships. The submarine fell on the combat course and remained unnoticed until she was shot by transport. The guard boats immediately rushed towards the boat, but she had already disappeared under water. Noticing the place of immersion "Pikes", Storozheviki released a series of deep bombs. Behind the first series of explosions followed the second, and then the third. The boat was shaking, light bulbs burst, and Ivan Vasilyevich decided to put the ship to the bottom, turning off all the mechanisms. At the boats they understood that the Soviet boat somewhere near and did not want to miss the "prey". Hydroacoustik "Pike" listened to the sea for a day, but the enemy ships did not leave. In the end, the enemy brings to the place of immersion of the submarine Electric cable. Fused on the bottom he showed on devices a place where the ship lay, and the deep bombs were again fell on. It was necessary to go urgently, and Shch-303 began maneuvering on small strokes. It was hard for submariners, and the bombing of deep bombs and did not think to stop. In the current situation, the commander decided to take a course on the mining field nearby. The ships of the enemy, frightened by their own mines, did not go for "pike".

So Ivan Vasilyevich began the forcing the second line of minno-network barriers, called Nisar-Pokkkalaudskaya. This minefield was very dense, and his grasshis took place at great depth. At the end of the third hour of the busy transition over the boat, an antenna mine was rushing. Such mines were not exploded when they hit their hull, but when touched a long cable-antenna. "Pike" rather shake enough, as a result of which the sealing of battery cans was disturbed, from which hydrogen began to be distinguished. There was another trouble. The submarine hooked the signal network, and now any enemy ship could determine the location of the boats on the buoy. When night came, Sh-303 pop up, and the sailors removed the scribe of the signal network. It was also possible to fully charge the batteries, and Herbin continued to the West way.

Two days later, the ship arrived at the specified position and began searching for the enemy. On July 17, the submarine Ivan Vasilyevich was in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Lighthouse Rodsher, and here the Watched commander discovered the vessel of the enemy. The submarine began to go to the attack position, but at the last moment Herkin considered that the transport sits on the meli and was left as the crew. After that, the boat went to the venues of the convoy and during the day after July 19, appeared in the island of Uta. It was necessary to wait for the enemy for a long time, the next day six Storozhevikov and two vehicles were discovered. A volley with two torpedoes from close range fell into the "largest fish" - head transport to eight thousand tons. From the explosions of the submarine shook and raised so that the cutting appeared above the water. However, the rapid dive tank continued to fill, and "Pike" rapidly went to the depth. She, by the way, in this place was according to the card 75 meters, and therefore the herbin dive did not stop. Suddenly, the submarine hit his nose. The depth gradder issued only 22 meters. Or the map of the lurch, or the crew inaccurately determined the place of "pike". The output was one - as soon as possible to leave the Morustee.

It was not possible to tear off from persecution for a long time - others were approached by bombing enemy ships. In "Pike", it was already difficult to breathe, and then the mechanic engineer inspected by order of grass pipelines, discovered in one of them a leakage of air, a demuscating boat. The entire group of cylinders was blocked and soon watching, having dropped the last series of bombs, "fallen". At midnight, Sh-303 surfaced to the surface, and the cool wet air filled the ship's insides.

On the evening of July 23, near the island of Dago, Ivan Vasilyevich found a German cruiser type "Emden" and five destroyers. It was a tempting goal, and herbin decided not to miss it. "Pike" fell on a combat course, and suddenly the central post received a message from the barded branch that the covers of torpedo devices do not open. The destroyer and cruiser left, the submarine surfaced, and the crew began to be outdoor inspection, which showed severe damage to the covers of the torpedo devices due to the blow of the boat about the soil. A few hours of sailors tried to correct damage, but they were too serious, and July 27, Shp-303 began a difficult path home.

Herbin successfully conducted a boat through the mining of the enemy and the line of ship's walking facilities. Sch-303 meeting with Soviet travelers and sea hunters should be held in the Narva Bay during the nights of August 4 and 5. On the night of the fourth number "Pike" rose in the appointed place and the silhouettes of ships discovered in the dark. Suddenly, the shooting started between them. Urgently plunging, the submarine left the fight area. The whole day she lay on the ground, and the next night came again at the set place. After the easting, Herkin ordered the signal to pass the call sign, and the machine-gun routes were reached on the submarine - one enemy ships were around. "Pike" instantly plunged, and the deep bombs were already torn around. The boat threw out of the side to the side, Gas Light, a cork was poured from the ceiling, the turbo-pump of the equalized tank was faced, there was a flow from the defraent tank, it pulled out of the battery pits with sulfur gas - there the spangled electrolyte mixed with a wicked sea water penetrated. After another strong explosion, a short circuit happened on one of the running power plants, and a fire originated. Electricians with bare hands broke down a burning insulation from the wires, at the same time the time to perform orders to change the speed of the course. Anti-submarine ships, as if hungry sharks, clutched in Shch-303 - 96 bombs broke around around the ship around the ship. Saved sailors that herbin managed to bring down a submarine to great depths. After that, Ivan Vasilyevich decided to independently return to the database, and on the night of August 7, his "Pike" reached Lavensari. There the commander reported on the completion of the campaign. Here he learned that the trawls and sea hunters went twice to meet the boat, but, pushing out the enemy's superior forces, went.

The transition to Kronstadt passed without incident, and there Sh-303 was delivered to the dock for repairs. And he had a considerable one - it was necessary to close the holes from the bullets and fragments, clean the screws from the signal networks, correct the intrigue, repair the waveres and torpedo devices. The term for repair, by the way, was installed extremely hard - twenty-five days. Five people from the crew received the Order of Lenin, five - the Order of the Red Banner, the rest of the sailors - the Order of the Red Star. On August 15, members of the Military Council of the Fleet, submarine commanders (including Ivan Vasilyevich) and the ships military commissarians visited Smolny, where they were adopted by the Secretary of the Central Committee Andrei Zhdanov, who thanked on behalf of the government for excellent fighting.

Preparing for a new campaign, travelers on cards and reports carefully studied swimming experience, visited the Department of Fleet, met with the commanders of other submarines. The conclusions were not joyful. The enemy sent additional ships from the north to Baltika, a large number of new mines were delivered, and observation posts earned on the islands and around the coast. In addition, without coordination with the command of the Red Army in the Pomeranian and Dankig Bays, the British established one and a half hundreds of their mines. Until the end of the war, English Admiralty, despite all requests, and did not provide the Soviet Union coordinates of their mine productions.

In the central post "She-303". Commander of the submarine Captain 3 rank I.V.

Sch-303 came to the new campaign of the third echelon boats. The speed travelers provided a safe road to Lavensari, and then the submarine moved independently. Through the Gorean Anti-Mine Position, Herkin decided to break through between the Vicla Bank and the island of Great Tyuters. The calculation turned out to be true, but the anchor mines were installed here. The mountains crawled on the sides of the ship, threateningly creaking, and only thanks to the skillful actions of the crew, the Gobyan Mino-Network position was successfully overcome. In order to wait for the night, in order to charge the battery, Ivan Vasilyevich put a submarine at the soil near the island of Rhodesher. Soon the hydroacoustik reported to him about the noise of screws. It turned out that in the area recommended by Soviet submariners for charging batteries, a German submarine was hidden.

Sch-303 did not find himself, and when he was dark, rose from the soil and moved to the West. Soon the sailors were at the island of Gotska-Sanden, where they found a transport vessel. The submarine went on rapprochement, but then Herkin considered the flag of neutral Sweden on the ship. After some time, the submarine reached her position allotted in the northern part of the sea. The path of German transport vessels, supplying troops in Finland, ran here. Soon the sailors found two such vehicles going to guard guard ships. When a pendant is one of them with a displacement of ten thousand tons became a salvo, the submarine commander ordered to shoot. After a moment, the guard ships opened a response artillery fire, but "Pike" had already disappeared under water. Not so lucky was the attack held on October 20. Cool waves were walked on the sea, and on the latter before the launch of the circulation circulation, the ship went into a large amount of depth, and the attack was broken. Returns went out in late October, when Shp 303 found a huge German forestry. The success of the attack was walking in his surprise - Herkin ordered to hit the transport from the side of the coast. After volley, the team followed: "The right steering and immersion at fifty meters." After a moment, Sch-303 spoil the torpedo screws. It turned out that a submarine was walking with ships. Fortunately, the torpedoes passed by, the enemy, who did not solve the Russian maneuver, shot a mud. Storozheviki also did not bomb the Soviet boat, apparently, fearing his hurt.

In this campaign, the crew "Pike" met and cold, foggy November. The 2nd boat numbers came Radiogram, which reported that through their position will pass, possibly a tanker with a flammable. The vessel was really discovered by grass, however, cool waves were shot down from a torpedo course. A few days later, a new convoy was met at midnight and two watchdogs. Three-trailed salvo submarine huddled Storozhevik and enemy transport vessel. On the same day, "Pike" headed for Osmussar Island, whose Ivan Vasilyevich decided to return to the base. Okol Banks Walkla "Pike" discovered German anti-submarine ships. The enemy, as in the first swimming, has long chasing the boat for a long time, and the Baltic pilots who applied to the sailors to the sailors. Soon Sch-303 was Lavensari.

Winter came, and the Finnish bay was the ice. Wintering in Kronstadta there were only three boats and among them Sh-303, staging. Herkin left the ship for a while. The reason was very unusual - it was called it from the blocked Leningrad to the capital, to the People's Commissariat of the Narial Fleet. The combat experience of Ivan Vasilyevich, his tactical techniques attracted the attention of specialists. In addition, for the skillful actions, he was awarded a foreign award - the Order of the "Naval Cross". At this trip, Herkin visited Ulyanovsk, where his relatives lived in evacuation. And the first day of Spring 1943 brought a new joy to the commander Sh-303. Behind the courage manifested in battles with German invaders, for the courage and durability, for the organization and high discipline, its submarine was awarded the Guards title.

March 1, 1943. Presentation of the Sch-303 submarine crew of the Guards Banner

In the spring of 1943 in Finnish bay, the enemy set solid mine fields (more than 8500 min). In the air, enemy airplanes flew around the clock, there were noiseless stations in the busy Islands, and additional network barriers were installed on the sea, followed by over 300 vessels. The new task for the crew Sh-303 began to discover the frontiers of anti-submarine barriers and find where it is possible, submarine passages. On the evening of May 7, the brigade commander and commander of the fleet arrived at the submarine. Similarly, the hiking was accompanied by every submarine, but there was a special case - everyone understood that he had a little chance to return with such a task. On May 11, Shp-303 left Lavensari and headed to the West. The most dangerous and magnetic mines were the greatest danger on the gogard position, and the herbian boat moved forward very slowly, about three kilometers per hour. Successfully coming to the northeastern part of the island of Windlo, the sailors were transferred to the headquarters of the team of overcoming the first position. Now Nizar-Pokkkalaudski Rubeze was to explore. Sch-303 went along it from the south to the north. After every half an hour, Ivan Vasilyevich stopped the move and raised the submarine under the periscope. The picture was bladder - ahead of fifty meters from each other stretched from each other in two rows of barrels and buoys of anti-submarine networks. Sometimes on sides of "Pikes" crossed the deployment, and the eastern side of the barrage was guarded by enemy anti-submarine ships. Free from networks, open water all over the binding was not. Only one thing remained for the sailors - in a deep place to try to go under the networks.

When Herkin began to exercise conceived, however, when the submarine passes, it was still confused in networks, and soon the hydroacoustik reported the approximation of enemy ships. It was not possible to break the further, and Ivan Vasilyevich, deploying "Pike", led her away from networks. However, the enemy was not lagged, the deep bombs began to ride the big series. The boat constantly changed the course, but the ring of persecuting ships remained unchanged. After some time, one battery was discharged, and the shortage of air began to be felt in the compartments. For his economy, the commander ordered all unoccupied sailors to lie down and do not move. And it was still very hard. When forty-five o'clock went after the last ventilation of the compartments, many sailors were in a semis-resistant state. Suddenly, without orders, the submarine began to pop up. Ivan Vasilyevich, ordered to prepare a submarine to urgent immersion, got to the bridge and Oboml. There were enemy ships around the boat at a different removal and were injured on the "pike" of the taper of the guns. However, it was not all - on the nose of the boat, the trummers swung on a white cloth. At that moment, they announced their readiness for immersion, and the commander went down. Shp 303 rapidly went under water, and only a traitor stayed to swim on the surface. While the enemy's ships rushed at the pike dive site, the boat fell on the ground.

Two hours the enemy bombed the boat, but the exhausted, tired, choking people continued to fight. Finally, the long-awaited ally - darkness came. However, when "Pike" pop up, several enemy boats immediately noticed. I had to go back to the limiting depth and hide in the nearest underwater depression. And again thundered the explosions, and again the boat threw and squeezed. In the end, the noise of screws versions, and the submarine pop up again. The enemy boats were gone away, but they did not notice the submarine. In the forced mode, batteries have begun, and Herbin sent the Radiogram that it was not possible to break through the second line of barriers. Soon "Pike" noticed, and the boat went under water. Three nights sailors tried to charge batteries, and every time the enemy interfered with them. In the end, Herkin, without seeing the exit, sent the ship to the minefield. We safely passing on the middle, Sh-303 pop up and began to charge the batteries. Ten day stayed a submarine on the minefield, hiding only from the enemy aircraft. After that, she fell on the reverse course in mid-June, a secondary goggy mining position, returned to Kronstadt. It is curious that after the exit from the war of Finland, Herkina had a chance to talk with an officer of German Po. The enemy believed that in May month, the second line of the barrage tried to pass several Soviet boats, and they all managed to destroy.

I have reported on the results of intelligence, Ivan Vasilyevich expressed the opinion that the submarines did not break through the boom. Unfortunately, he was not immediately counted. In August, "C-9" of Motochikov and S-12 "Baschenko were sent to breakthrough. Both boats died with crews. After that, the Narc Fleet was forbidden to send Baltic boats for breakthrough, and the severity of the fight against communications received the Fleet.

January 27, 1944 Leningrad celebrated the removal of the blockade. On the Neva Embankment, where she stood by Shp 303, tens of thousands of Leningradians, crying from joy, congratulated each other. And soon Herkin was appointed to a new boat - K-52. All requests of the commander to leave him on Shch-303 did not have success, and for five days, Ivan Vasilyevich passed the submarine.

In September 1944, Finland capitulated, and the road to the sea for submarines was wider, although it was going around the minno-network barriers by narrow schrah. On October 28, the name of the brigades passed the grass order to go to the Danzig Bay in order to attach strikes on the enemy, and on November 9, the K-52 left Helsinki. Sea Stormilo, and November 15, Evening Ivan Vasilyevich ordered to emerd. He himself went to the bridge and there, seeing a pure horizon, leaned out to call the current officer. At that moment a huge wave collapsed on the ship. She shot down the commander from the legs, throwing the boat inside. Flying five meters, Herkin crashed into steel flooring of the central post, having received a concussion, fracture of the right hand and eye injury.

Right - Commander "K-52" Captain 3 rank Herkin Ivan Vasilyevich (1908 - 1985)

Until November 21, the submarine was looking for large vehicles, but they did not come across. And at night, the 21st, leaving the four enemy watchchevikov, during the "urgent dive" submarine K-52 hit the soil. The most severe were damage in the fourth compartment. Part of the batteries crashed, and the solarium, which looked from the damaged fuel system, flooded the battery pit, threatened with short circuit. In addition, water whipped from a small hole. After the hydroacoustik reported that the enemy's ships were gone, pumps earned at full power. When a little fear water remained in the submarine, herkin gave the team to pop up. Motorists have done everything possible, but the water still fought at the place of damage. She was constantly pumped out, and a submarine, moving in an overnight position, by the end of the month arrived in Kronstadt. So the first goal of K-52 ended.

The next combat campaign, which began in February 1945, was much despicable. By the end of February, Herkin attacked an enemy convoy, consisting of transport and ships. The blow of three nasal torpedo devices struck at once two ships. The opponent did not immediately respond immediately, and K-52 managed to escape the persecution. On March 4, the submarine attacked another German transport, and on the night of March 7 struck a separate enemy destroyer. The next day, Ivan Vasilyevich came across a new convoy of three transports and successfully attacked one of them. After returning to the database, the entire crew of the submarines was awarded orders.

The last campaign of grass began in mid-April. The 21st numbers he attacked the three torpedoes of a large cargo ship that went down in the gulling of two watchdogs. The enemy was hardly looking for a boat, but the commander led her to another area and already on April 22 he struck a new goal - a transport ship. At the same time, he received the Radiogram, which reported to assign him the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union and awarding the submarine to the Order of the Red Banner. A few days later, the K-52 again successfully attacked the convoy of the three transport ships. Since the boat was not pursued, herkin returned and hit the second enemy ship.

The last days of the war were especially difficult. During one of the persecution of guard ships, seven hours were followed by a submarine, "iron" Restless Sea and Istra extinguity about hundreds of deep bombs. When all torpedoes on the K-52 were spent, the submarine received "good" to return, and on the day of Victory came to Kronstadt. Ivan Vasilyevich, a little having a team with the team, went to Leningrad, where his family returned. The Great Patriotic War is over, and a new life began. Herkin was assigned to the place of the division of training ships. He was also elected to the deputy of the Leningrad City Council. He had a lot of worries and problems. The main one was the situation with housing - part of the residential foundation needed a solid repair, and the other part was completely destroyed. The number of materials was very limited. Ivan Vasilyevich helped and in the employment of demobilized sailors. Stories about war and people with whom he had to serve, Frontovik generously shared with young people, speaking in various cities of the country. The old injuries were given themselves to know, and in 1957 a relatively young captain of the first rank herbin left the armed forces. However, the houses were sitting above his strength, and Ivan Vasilyevich got into the editorial board of the sea atlas (1959-1965), and then to the Ministry of the Marine Fleet (1966-1973). In addition, he wrote a number of military memoirs. The famous submariner passed on June 14, 1985.

According to the materials of the book V.F. Makeeva "In Sea Herkin" and the site http://www.otvoyna.ru

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"The fierce enemy is at the walls,
Ostially in the city rusts.
Threatens trouble ... but meanwhile -
Baltflot laughs ... "

O. Berggolts.

Submarines "Sh-303", and then "K-52", which, during the Great Patriotic War, commanded Herkin Ivan Vasilyevich, the hero of the Soviet Union of Captain 3rd rank, destroyed 14 ships and enemy ships.

Herkin I.V. Born 17 (30) August 1908 in the Moscow region of Naro-Fominsk, in the family of the worker. Vanya remembered well as his father escaped to the front. The family had eight children, and therefore his father, 37-year-old Vasily Nikolaevich, in the first world was the right to exemption from service. But called him in 1916, not believing with the established procedure as an active participant in the strike of textiles. Right with the factory, the group of workers under the convoy hijacked in the county city of the belief ...

In the quiet Naro-Fominsk at the beginning of the century there was only one textile factory. From the day of the founding, it worked everything in the family of grass and their relatives. The factory was the only elementary school in the city, where Ivan learned. The working day lasted at 12 o'clock a day, so the mother-tipped went early, returned late, the children remained without supervision.

It was terribly difficult for family years of civil war and ruin. There was nothing to eat, nothing to get dressed. Mother and worked, and washed on people, soap floors, if only children did not die from hunger. Ivan with the younger brother went to the station, asked for a soldier with a bread travelers, crackers. He often missed classes at school and in the third grade remained for the second year. In 1922, Ivan graduated from a five-year school and entered the weaving factory.

When it was time to serve, he was asked to the fleet, but in 1930 there was no "maritime" discharge, and Ivan Herkin fell into the army in the second rifle regiment of the Moscow Proletarian Rifle Division. The service in the exemplary part was not easy. Classes for shooting technique, political officer, building preparation before refilled days. And yet did not leave dreams of a fleet. With each convenient case in conversations with the company commander, he asked to assist the translation to the fleet. In the summer of 1931, herbin was aimed at examinations to the Higher Naval School named after Frunze.

Two twists on the entrance exams were enough to deduct or, as it turned out, for a conversation with the head of the school. Still, Herkina accepted, but not the first, but on the preparatory course. The school had to sit on the textbooks for 10-12 hours a day, not believing with the rest, on the weekend. Teachers helped a lot, school comrades. During the year we managed to catch up with the best cadets. Ivan Shekin's school finished in 1936, the exams passed successfully. It was appointed a navigator to the Uch-303 submarine for the Red Banner Baltic Fleet.

The beginning of the Great Patriotic War Herkin met the "Sh-303" commander. One of the oldest on the Baltic submarine "Sch-303" was previously transferred to the training division. But both the old warrior in a minute of danger for the deduction again becomes in combat system and the boat of grass, called "Ershoma", was to be made by the "Pike". She was expected to repair and modernization. The boat was in Kronstadt. To secure submarines from aviation and artillery strikes, speeding up their repair, the command decided to relocate underwater ships to Leningrad. In early October, Herkin received the order to translate the boat to a position on the Neva. At that time, it was not easy. In the nearest suburbs - Peterhof, League, Strelna - stood enemy tools and beat on ships going through the bay. Almost under their fire had to overcome all the way. At night, travelers still managed to spend the ship on the sea canal.

Anxiety of Ivan Vasilyevich for the city and the boat was anxious for his big family. He believed that his wife, her mother, grandmother, as well as two daughters and the niece were evacuated. But here the letter came from Leningrad. The wife reported that their echelon was not sent, the fascists bombed, and then captured the railway station through which evacuation was. And in Leningrad, the weight was worse with food ...

The ice was blunting the Neva and ships. In order not to damage the case, the "Shukka" team had to slip the ice around the ship. In November, the blizzard was tremended by huge drifts, pedestrians went through the roadway of the streets. Through the Neva, the paths stretched, shrinking the way for weakening from the hunger. Angry, merciless hunger and the intensive day of day from day cold united against citizens. Water pipe did not work - there was no water, the supply of electricity stopped, lacked firewood. There were more cake in bread than flour. Dragged with sailors - silent queues of Leningraders with bidones, jugs and banks. Forces to wear buckets in people no longer had. Signs of the War Herkin are increasingly seen on the boat. He fell badly with food. Sailors received 250 grams of bread per day. Frequent anxieties erased the face between day and night. Sailors are exhausted due to permanent duty, bayonet fight. For the best stake, it was considered to get to the front ...

Occasionally Ivan Vasilyevich managed to break out home. Hunger and cold came in his apartment on the Griboedov Canal. I brought that saved from a scarce blockade solder. To feed the girls was nothing, they asked all the time. Kids! One and a half, another two and a half, the third four, do not understand, cry. Feel your helplessness is very scary, worse than death.

January 23, 1942 Ivan Vasilyevich recorded in the diary: "Today I had a chance to visit the house. In the room of a chairs. The windows are clogged with plywood, curtained with rugs. The walls are spacing from the smoke of iron still. The mother of his wife could not stand the nervous shocks, lost his mind, says something incoherent, then crying, then laughs. The wife, disgraced, with a darkened face, deeply climbed, barely moves around the room. Girls with gray flabby dystrophic leachers, closed in a shawl and blankets, sit next to beds and eating joinery glue soup. And on the street, then the trips of shells are banging. " A few days later he spent his family in evacuation ...

And in a month, Herkin received a telegram from his wife: "Profit in Ulyanovsk. Mother died on the road. Grandmother lagged behind the train in Gorky (after a while she died too). I froze my legs, offered to amputate both feet. Waiting for your consent. Children are alive and healthy. Kiss. Lida. " Cold sweat spoke on his forehead. Herkin went for advice to the Colonel of the Medical Service, Honored Church of the RSFSR Kuzmin T.A. He dictated a telegram to his wife - a whole instruction, how and what to do. All measures to take, but keep your feet!

The submarine began to receive replenishment, repair work was going from morning to late evening. February 23 Repair was completed. Here is another entry from the diary of Herkina IV: "We work out the organization of service on the ship. We carry out single, private and overlooking teachings. People do not regret the power to bring their skills to perfection and the overall coagitan coag. Held a collection of personnel. The will of the crew is one - rather to battle, rather avenge the enemy for the suffering of the Leningrads! " In April, Ivan Vasilyevich received a letter from his wife. Lydia Alexandrovna reported that everything was in order with his feet. Dalited the room. Works in kindergarten. Children are alive and healthy. It was about such a letter that he dreamed from the very day of their departure.

In May, on the Neva, submarines began to perform the first tasks associated with swimming. "Sh-303" perfectly withstood all the tests and was recognized as a command of the ready-to-perform combat missions. To protect yourself, in the Finnish bay, the enemy put the mine-network barriers. Almost a year went to create these lines of death. To go through them in the open Baltic, it was necessary to overcome 270 miles. The German military newspapers wrote that while their army remain in busy borders, there is nothing to think that Soviet submariners will enter the sea, the Baltic submariners should be removed from the account.

In the beginning of the campaign of the 42nd year, the command of the Baltic Fleet prepared the offensive of submarines through mine fields and network barriers to the open sea. Planned the exit of three groups of 10-12 boats in each. The first echelon included ships with the most prepared crews and commanders. Here was attributed and "Shp-303" - the boat Ivan Vasilyevich Herkina.

The herbian boat went to the first hike on July 4, 1942, having received a prescription: take a combat position in the area about. Lavensari. "Sch-303" passed mine harnesses, while overcoming their life every minute hung in the balance; Every second is terrible, blind death could break her. Then "Pike" was attacked by the enemy boats, on July 11, after charging the battery, when the submarine was at an outdate position, it was attacked by enemy airplanes. Near the boat broke bombs. Easy lights, electric drives came out. Switched to manual control, electricians soon eliminated damage. About the midnight "Pike" surfaced, transport was discovered.

To get closer to it up to twenty cable (cables is 185.2 m), they saw that the vessel was dismissed about 7 thousand tons in the overall of the three small ships. So the moment came when everything that the commander studied and the personnel was studied, it was possible to invest in an accurate volley. The case was simplified by the fact that the enemy was at the Bestge and Distance to Him. The boat fell on a combat course. "Pikeman" remained unnoticed only when after a volley near the transport rose a tornroad of fire and water and he began to sink, the shelf's boat turned towards the boat. According to the "Urgent dive" signal, it disappeared under water, leaving only diverging circles on the surface of the sea. But Storozheviki spotted the place of immersion "Pikes". Shot a series of deep bombs. For her - the second, third. Several times the boat shook, in some places, the electric light bulbs flooded.

Herkin put the ship to the bottom, ordered to turn off the mechanisms. The boat froze, clinging to the soft sand. The enemy ships did not leave, the hydroacoustik heard the noise of their screws. So continued the whole day. To find our boat, the enemy brings the electric cable and let it down along the bottom. The devices showed the place where the ship is located. The deep bombs fell again. Herkin decided to leave. They began to maneuver on small moves, in the boat observed silence. The commander ordered to take a course on a minefield. The ships of the enemy, having wisheding their own mines, did not go for "pike", behind.

After the explosion above the boat of an antenna mine, the sealing of the cana of the battery was disturbed. Of these, hydrogen began to be highlighted - the danger of the explosion arose. In addition, the hydroacoustik reported that the boat was obviously dragging the signal network. The minefield ended. Finally, the long-awaited night occurs when you can emerge, get rid of the network, ventilate the boat, charge the batteries. The work on the release of the network is quite dangerous. And not only the fact that the launched waves could wash off the sailor working with the network, beyond. Then you can raise it. More is more dangerous. If an enemy aircraft appears, the boat must immediately immerse. Frequently freed from the grid.

July 20 discovered two transports and six Storozhevikov. Transports brought weapons for troops. Herkin attacked and sowed with head vehicles with displacement of 8 thousand tons. To break away from the persecution of German Storozhevikov commander "YERS" helped immediate immersion. However, it passed not quite smoothly - on the 22-meter mark "Sch-303" hit the nose of the soil. There was no time to stop for repair, all damage to the crew had to be eliminated on the go. Despite the numerous attempts to maneuvering speed, depth and course, the boat could not break away from persecution for a long time ...

July 24 Herkin I.V. I got a radio with order to return to the database. Again, I had to overcome the goginda mino-network position of the enemy. On August 7, "Sch-303" returned to Kronstadt. A solemn meeting with the orchestra, two fried piglets (according to the number of hopping vessels), rewarding orders and medals ... So this first combat campaign ended, launched 33 days.

After repairing "Sh-303" at the end of October 1942, he entered a new campaign, to the area of \u200b\u200bGotska-Sanda Island to eliminate Korvayev, delivered military loads to Finns. Once in the storm, the boat received damage - disrupted the removable sheets of the light housing, the repair work was carried out in the surface position. In this campaign "Pike" Ivan Vasilyevich managed to sink three vehicles and the enemy's combat ship, the total displacement of about 50 thousand tons. In March 1943, the Ek-303 submarine crew became Guards.

In the spring of 1943 in Finnish bay, the enemy set solid mine fields (8500 min). At the busy islands, the enemy equipped noiseless stations, put additional network barriers to Morse. As the German Admiral Friedrich Roga noted in the memoirs of the "War of the Sea": "... In the spring of 1943, the connection of network barriers blocked the Finnish bay with a double anti-sidelide network, reaching until the bottom." Breeding the opponent kept significant anti-submarine forces - up to 300 ships and vessels, his airplanes hung in the air around the clock.

"She-303" was entrusted to find the borders of anti-submarine barriers, find where you can get boats. The command of the fleet and the brigade did not hide that this task is extremely difficult to return to such a task of chances a little. May 11, "Sch-303" left about. Lavensari and took the course to the West. The herbian boat moved slowly, made 2-2.5 knots (approximately 3.5 km / h), but the trouble happened - the ship dragged her mine, she was told on the body, and at each next blow an explosion could be filled. Fortunately, after a while she pulled away ...

Herkin found out that around the entire position from Oh. Nasar to the Lighthouse of Pokkanaa-Kallboda at 50-70 meters from each other in two rows stretched networks. Before the barrage and in the networks themselves were installed mines. "Pike" remained one thing - to go under the networks in the deepest place of the bay. When passing the boat confused in networks, there were not enough air in the compartments, one of the batteries were discharged, the hydroacoustik reported on the approach of the group of enemy ships. At some point, Starin Galkin closed the door from the central compartment into the nasal and stern parts of the ship, surfaced to surrender to the enemy. The enemy's ships tales were sent to the "Pike", Ivan Vasilyevich did not hurry with urgent immersion, he pulled the time so that people would breathe, and the boat was ventured. From the central compartment reported on readiness for immersion. Herkin quickly jumped into a hatch and slammed the hatch behind him. "Ersh" rapidly went under the water, only Galkin remained flounded on the surface. The boat fell on the ground.

For several days, the German anti-Netheric defense ships were not allowed to charge the batteries normally, driving her under the water every time. The commander received an order to return to Kronstadt, it was decided to go again through a minefield. Ten days spent "Sh-303" on a minefield when she came up to charge batteries, airplanes appeared and opened fire on it, but still managed to significantly increase the density of the battery. Now you could return.

In the report command on the results of exploration, Herkin I.V. I expressed my opinion: underwater boats through a barrier not to break through. Unfortunately, with his conclusions they were not immediately counted. Already in August, "C-9" was sent to the open sea (commander of the captain of the 3rd rank of Mocknikov A.I.) and "C-12" (commander of the captain of the 3rd rank Baschenko A.A.). Both boats along with their crews died.

In 1944, Ivan Vasilyevich was appointed commander of the modern cruising submarine "K-52", in service with which there were 10 torpedo devices and four guns. In the November campaign of 1944, "K-52" was injured, after repair, in mid-January 1945, she again reached the sea. At the beginning of the hike, again, annoying damage - one of the interconnect tanks began to skip fuel. Repair performed on your own.

On February 23, one volley managed to torpes two ships: vehicles with displacement of 8-9 thousand tons and Storozhevik. Herkin himself writes about this attack: "After a few minutes, a volley followed. Torpedoes went to the goal. All our attention focused on enemy ships. Will the explosion follow soon? At such moments it always seems that the shooter's arrow very slowly makes his circle on the luminous dial: thirty seconds, forty, fifty, sixty ... are it really missed?
- Right on board. Prepare feed torpedo devices. We go to the re-attack. But on the seventieth second there was a deafening explosion - Torpeda fell into transport. And five seconds another explosion - from the guard ship. Two fiery languages, as if two giant torches, shot down to the night sky, climbed above ship masts, lit a large seafridge. Repeated attack was not required. "

When continuing patrols, several times "K-52" was persecuted by the enemy submarines. In early March, another transport was sweeping, and the next day - new transport. On the night of March 7, the 3rd Goods of the enemy were discovered, which followed the twist of the submarine at a distance of two or three cable. It was too late to dive. Give the highest possible move, began the separation from the enemy ships. Herkin himself described this fight: "Every second could be found, since the distance between the boat and the destroyers increased very slowly. I wanted to break away from the enemy as soon as possible, take a profitable position and attack it ... The voltage increased with every minute. It seemed about the dartsware would notice us, would increase the speed, open artillery fire, go to the ram. For a moment, I was already ready to go to urgent immersion, but he restrained. Finally, the distance from the enemy has increased, the opportunity to attack the enemy himself appeared. We unfolded on a combat course ... "The Ministry of Entry was undermined.

Recharge the torpedo devices, the boat returned to the area allotted for action. Sailors prepared for the eighth of March - wrote on torpedoes - "for the glorious Soviet women." And so, the vessel with displacement of 4-5 thousand tons approached the thread of the night sight. Herkin commanded: "Nasal apparatus, PLI!" An explosion thundered. Over the transport rose a post of fire and steam. The boat quickly plunged and increased speed. The result of the campaign: 4 transport and one fighting ship enemy.

In the last military campaign, on April 21, 1945, the "K-52" submarine destroyed the fascist vehicles with a displacement of about 6 thousand tons, and in two days there were transported transport at 10 thousand tons, the Germans did not even pursue the German boat without deciding without Cover two remaining transport. In the campaign, the sailors found out that their boat became red-known, and the commander was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, despite the story with the betrayal of Galkin. By the first time, the crew "K-52" sent a transport of 7 thousand tons to the bottom. A flock of guard ships and aircraft thrown onto the boat. Ivan Vasilyevich skillfully and silently took the ship from under blows. The crew was returned from the campaign - for March and April, 7 transports were surrounded, the watchdog ship was dried and the evacado officer of the enemy was damaged.

After the war, the captain of the 2nd rank Ivan Vasilyevich Herkin was appointed headquarters of the division of training ships. He commanded a part of an equally well-known submariner Nikolai Aleksandrovich Lunin, awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union back in April 1942 for the attack on the K-21 boat of the German Linkar "Tyrpits".

Fracture of the hand and breaking the ligaments obtained during the fall on the flooring on the "K-52", let them know. In 1957, a relatively young captain of the 1st rank Herkin I.V. He left the armed forces in connection with the sharply deteriored state of health. Ivan Vasilyevich worked in the editorial office of the Sea Atlas, and then at the USSR Ministry of Marine Fleet. - The author of popular books on submariners: "In the waters of the gray baltic", M., 1959; "All the deaths called." 2nd ed. M., 1976. Died herbin I.V. June 14, 1985, buried in Moscow at the Kuntsevsky cemetery.

August 30, 1908 - June 14, 1985

Hero of the Soviet Union, commanded the submarine "Sh-303", then "K-52", captain 1 rank

Biography

Born on August 30, 1908 in the city of Naro-Fominsk (now the Moscow region) in the family of the worker. Russian. Member of WCP (b) / CPSU since 1930. He graduated from 10 classes. He worked as a monterer at the textile factory of his native city.

In the naval fleet of the USSR since 1930. In 1936 he graduated from the Naval School, and was aimed at the Red Banner Baltic Fleet Navigan on the submarine "Sch-303" ("Yersh"), becoming subsequently its commander.

In the fights of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. Total under the command of I. V. Herkina submarines "Sh-303" (from March 1943 - Guards) and "K-52" on official post-war data destroyed 2 ship and 12 enemy transports, but taking into account German statistics of victory losses I. V. Herkina is strongly exaggerated (only damage to one enemy ship is confirmed), which served as a reason for non-extended reviews about him by commander-colleagues, in particular the commander L-3 P. D. Grishchenko and Lembitus commander A. M. Matyatsevich.

Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 20, 1945, the captain of the 3rd rank of Herkina Ivan Vasilyevich for the skillful command of PL and manifested courage and heroism in battles with the German fascist invaders awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with a sentence of the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal 5089.

In 1950, Ivan Vasilyevich graduated from the Naval Academy. He served as the head of the department of the division of training ships. Since 1956, the captain of the 1st Rank Herkin I. V. - in stock. In 1959, Military memoirs of Ivan Vasilyevich were published - "in the waters of the gray baltic". He lived in Moscow and worked in the editorial office of the sea atlas, and then at the Ministry of Marine Fleet of the USSR. He died on June 14, 1985.

In the Naro-Fominsky district of the Moscow region annually draws a draw of the Cup. Herbian football.

Awards

3 Order of Lenin
2 Red Banner Order
order of Ushakov 2nd degree
order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree
order of the Red Star
medals

At one time, a few years ago he read the book of Oleg Strizhaka "Secrets of the Baltic Sweethew". The book was founded on the memoirs of the WWIA submariners and began with the exposure of the success of the most outstanding (according to the official Soviet version, the success of Marinesco was under the ban) of the submariner Ivan Vasilyevich. On official Soviet post-war data destroyed 2 vehicles and 12 enemy transports. However, when the Germans have published loss statistics on the Baltic Sea, it turned out that these lime data. Why? It is well explained in the Strizhaka book.
"The very dark and confusion was the bill of victories. Victory needed a" confirmation ". Ideally, you mean according to the instructions, it was necessary to do this. The commander is attacked, strikes the target. Then invites you to the periscope of two reliable, proven witnesses. Those watching optics On a toning goal, it is estimated by its class, displacement and confirm that the goal sank ... well, if a lonely defenseless Lyba is falling. You can float and smoke, look from the bridge, as it is sinking. But serious goals go under the guard of coneds. The commander to go to the course of attack unnoticed - his happiness. But the torpedoes went - the boat found themselves. Periscope down! A cool differential on the nose, and drop off, plump and away. Hydrochi ships are now dripped into you with hydrocators, they fall into the depth of the bombs.
And the only "confirmation" - heard an explosion. Or two. Where did the torpedo hit - in transport? In the guard shop? In the rock? This is not known for the boat. And if you got into transport - he drowned or not?
And if we drowned transport - was it great? One commander knows. The commander saw him in the periscope a few seconds, through the rain, fog or in the night Mol. And the commander on returning reports: drowned a cargo ship, twenty thousand tons.
Matyatsevich Alexey Mikhailovich, the famous submariner, told me how he argued with the commander of the boat: "There is no such big ships on the Baltic! Well, four, well five thousand tons. And you got on twenty!"
Matyatsevich until June 41 was a captain in the trading and knew the court of all the Baltic.
The commanders of the boat at him were offended. MatyaSevich himself wrote in his reports honestly: transport, about two thousand tons.
For this, the authorities were offended by Matyasevich. The authorities received an order for the successes of subordinates, and he needed "weighty" victories.
The trouble began in the 60s, when Western German historians processed the material of the war on the sea (road journals, maps, schemes and carting of maneuvering, reporting commanders) and began to publish the results of the actions of our submarines in Marina Rundshau. Now I had to work out our historians, put the story in order. It lasted this work for almost twenty years. Many "victories" turned out to be fiction.
It was believed that they were in the target, and the torpedoes were passing by - "Here is an extract from the German Vachnic Journal. They believed that the transport was drowned, and he remained afloat: here's a confirmation. " But these are all Polbie. It is much worse that some attacks and victories were a deliberate lie.
With the contempt and mockery Grishchenko and Matyatsevich spoke about herbin. Herkin had eleven wins on his account, wore a gold star. It turned out that the victory he had one, a slight ship. The rest is the fruit of disinformation.
The crew was lingered. War is the case, weakly too much - and they burn you in the penalty, in the Sinyavinsky swamps. Commanders of other boats were suspected that herkina is unclean, but they don't grab the hand ... The scandal would be great. But the Kremlin scandals did not like. German historians called unfinished fascists. Our historians told silence. Herkin shone the star in the presidiums and blessed the pioneers.
And the magazine "Marina Rundshau" was announced enemy and handed over to Special.
However, the adjustments are serious in the history of war in the Baltic were made. Reductantly decreased (as Matyatsevich predicted) tonnage of across the vessels: he was listed in the fighting conveying transport to fifteen thousand tons, but turned out to be a one and a half thousand.
But the name of the names of Russian submariners came to the first line of the names of Grishchenko and Matyatsevich.
Their boats were not only torpedo attackers. They were called the "Underwater Mind Barrel" ....
A combat bill of the boat, which from the 42nd year commanded Matyatsevich, amounted to 25 enemy ships, ships and submarines with a common displacement of almost eighty thousand tons. The account of the boat "L-3", which was commanded by Grishchenko until the 43rd year, - 28 ships and transports ...
And both commander, Grishchenko and Matyatsevich, worried a heavy mental injury. They did not give the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union ... "