Vasily Glagolev

Vasily Vasilyevich Glagolev
Native name	Василий Васильевич Глаголев
Born	21 February 1896 Kaluga, Russian Empire
Died	21 September 1947 (1947-09-22) (aged 51) Moscow, Soviet Union
Buried	Novodevichy Cemetery
Allegiance	Russian Empire (1916–1917)  Soviet Union (1918–1947)
Service / branch	Imperial Russian Army Red Army
Years of service	1916–1947
Rank	Colonel general
Commands	9th Army 46th Army 31st Army 9th Guards Army Soviet airborne
Battles / wars	World War I Russian Civil War World War II Battle of Voronezh Battle of the Caucasus Battle of the Dnieper Vitebsk-Orsha Offensive Vienna Offensive Prague Offensive
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union Order of Lenin (2) Order of the Red Banner (2) Order of Suvorov, 1st class (2) Order of Kutuzov, 1st class Legion of Honour Virtuti Militari

Vasily Vasilyevich Glagolev (Russian: Васи́лий Васи́льевич Глаго́лев; 21 February 1896 – 21 September 1947) was a Red Army Colonel general, Hero of the Soviet Union, and commander of the Soviet airborne (VDV).^[1][2] After initially serving in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I, Glagolev joined the Red Army in 1918. He rose to command the 42nd Cavalry Division on the Crimean Front in World War II, going on to command the 73rd and 176th Rifle Divisions as well as the 10th Guards Rifle Corps. Glagolev briefly became the commander of the 9th Army in February 1943 before being transferred to command of the 46th Army, which he would lead until May 1944. He became the 31st Army's commander and led it during the Vitebsk–Orsha Offensive. In January 1945, Glagolev commanded the 9th Guards Army, composed of Soviet airborne divisions converted into infantry. In April 1946, he became the commander of the Soviet airborne forces and died on in 1947 during exercises.