Stepan Chernyak

Stepan Ivanovich Chernyak
Chernyak, 1940
Born	25 December 1899 Chernevichi,Borisovsky Uyezd,Minsk Governorate,Russian Empire
Died	20 July 1976(1976-07-20)(aged 76) Krasnodar,Soviet Union
Allegiance	Russian Empire Soviet Union
Service/branch	Imperial Russian Army Red Army
Years of service	1917 1918–1958
Rank	General-mayor
Commands	136th Rifle Division 3rd Rifle Corps 46th Army 44th Army 306th Rifle Division 32nd Rifle Division 162nd Rifle Division 41st Rifle Division
Battles/wars	World War I Russian Civil War Spanish Civil War World War II
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union

Stepan Ivanovich Chernyak(‹See Tfd›Russian:Степан Иванович Черняк;25 December 1899 – 20 July 1976) was aSoviet Armygeneral andHero of the Soviet Unionwho held field army and division command during World War II, rising to the rank ofgeneral-leytenant.

A veteran ofWorld War Iand theRussian Civil War,Chernyak rose through command positions in the interwarRed Army,serving as a military advisor in theSpanish Civil War.Made aHero of the Soviet Unionfor his leadership of the136th Rifle Divisionduring theWinter War,Chernyak commanded the44th Armyin theBattle of the Kerch Peninsula,but after the defeat in Crimea he was demoted and remained a division commander for the rest of the war, which he ended as ageneral-mayor.His career stagnated postwar and he retired in the late 1950s.

Early life, World War I and Russian Civil War

A Belorussian, Stepan Ivanovich Chernyak was born on 25 December 1899 in the village of Chernevichi,Borisovsky Uyezd,Minsk Governorate.Conscripted into theImperial Russian Armyin January 1917, Chernyak was enlisted as aryadovoyin a reserve regiment inVoronezh.In May he was sent to theSouthwestern Frontwith a marching company, where he fought as a gunner in theColt Machine GunDetachment of the 28th Polotsk Infantry Regiment of the10th Infantry Division.

During theRussian Civil War,Chernyak joined theRed Guarddetachment commanded by Shevchenko inOrshain November. He became a platoon commander in the detachment. On 13 March 1918 the detachment joined the 10th Minsk Regiment of theRed ArmyinMinskand fought in theGrodnosector. In 1919 the regiment was renamed the 72nd Rifle Regiment, and as a platoon commander of the regiment Chernyak fought in battles with Polish troops. On 4 February 1920 he was sent to the 1st Moscow Infantry Command Courses. Graduating from them on 18 February 1921 he was appointed assistant company commander at thePetrograd Red Army Institute.In early March at his request he was sent to the Separate Bashkir Brigade and appointed chief of the machine gun detachment of its 2nd Rifle Regiment. In May with this regiment he took part in the suppression of theanti-Soviet uprisingofGeorgian Mensheviksin the areas ofTiflisandBatumi,after which the brigade guarded the Black Sea coast.

Interwar period

After the end of the war, the regiment joined the 25th Rifle Regiment of the9th Don Rifle Divisionduring the reorganization of the army in May 1922. In October Chernyak was sent to study at the 1st Military Railway Command Personnel School in Petrograd, then in the same month transferred to the 8th Petrograd School for Command Personnel. After graduating in September 1924 he was posted to the 111th Rifle Regiment of the37th Novocherkassk Rifle Divisionof theBelorussian Military District,where he served as commander of a platoon and rifle and machine gun companies. In January 1930 he was sent to complete the machine gun course of theVystrel course.On graduation in late March he returned to the regiment and continued serving as a machine gun company commander and rifle battalion commander.

From April 1932 Chernyak served as an instructor at the Training Center for the Preparation of Reserve Command Personnel of the5th CorpsDistrict in Bobruisk. In June 1934 he was transferred to theMoscow Military Districtto serve as commander of the 26th Separate Territorial Battalion inMichurinsk.From January 1935 he was assistant commander for combat units of the 2nd Rifle Regiment of the1st Moscow Proletarian Rifle Division,serving as temporary commander of the regiment for four months. In 1936 and 1937 he took part in theSpanish Civil Waras an advisor to the11th Divisionof theSpanish Republican Army,for which he was awarded theOrder of Lenin.Returning to the Soviet Union in September 1938, Chernyak was sent back to the 1st Moscow Rifle Division as its assistant division commander. In August 1939 he was appointed commander of the136th Rifle Division,which as part of the13th Armyof theNorthwestern Frontfought in theWinter War.For its breakthrough of theMannerheim Linethe division received the Order of Lenin, and Chernyak was received the titleHero of the Soviet Unionon 7 April 1940. From April 1940 he commanded the3rd Rifle Corpsin theTranscaucasus Military District,and received the rank ofgeneral-leytenanton 4 June when the Red Army introduced general officer ranks. In November he was sent to complete theImprovement Course for Higher Command Personnelat theVoroshilov Academy of the General Staff,returning to command of the corps on graduation in May 1941.

World War II

After the German invasion of the Soviet Union began, Chernyak's corps defended the Black Sea coast. In late July the46th Armywas formed from the corps, and Chernyak appointed its commander. After finishing its formation, from 23 August, the army covered the Soviet-Turkish border and the Black Sea coast as part of theTranscaucasus Front.Chernyak was appointed commander of theSeparate Coastal Armyon 13 December, simultaneously serving as assistant commander of theBlack Sea Fleetfor infantry. Under his command, the army took part in thedefense of Sevastopol.Chernyak was transferred to command the44th Armyof theCrimean Fronton 8 February 1942, taking command as it fought in theBattle of the Kerch Peninsula.After the defeat of the Soviet troops on the peninsula the remnants of the army were evacuated to theTaman Peninsula.For the defeat in Crimea, Chernyak was relieved of command by aStavkadirective on 29 May 1942, and in early June demoted to colonel.

Chernyak commanded the306th Rifle Divisionof the10th Reserve Armyin theStavka reservefrom 15 June. The division was sent to theKalinin Frontin October, where it defended a line northeast ofDemidov.On 12 December 1942 Chernyak was shell-shocked in battle and hospitalized. After recovering in April 1943 he was appointed deputy commander of the5th Guards Rifle Corps,which as part of the39th Armyfought in theRzhev-Vyazma,Dukhovshchina-Demidov,andSmolensk offensives,in the liberation of Verdino,Dukhovshchina,Rudnyaand others. From June he commanded the32nd Rifle Divisionof the front's3rd Shock Army.On 23 August, for “failure to carry out the orders for the breakthrough of the German defensive line,” front commanderAndrey Yeryomenkorelieved Chernyak of command. He remained at the disposal of the Main Cadre Directorate awaiting assignment until October, when he was sent to theBelorussian Front.

Chernyak took command of the 162nd RD of the front's65th Armyon 30 October, which he led in the Gomel–Rechitsa offensive. For successful operations in the liberation ofRechitsathe division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In January 1944 during the Kalinkovichi–Mozyr offensive Chernyak was wounded and until March recovered in a hospital, then was appointed commander of the41st Rifle Division.Until July 1944 as part of the1st Belorussian Frontthe division fought in defensive battles on the right bank of theTuryariver inKovelOblast, then as part of the69th Armyof the front took part in theLublin-Brest,Warsaw-Poznan,andBerlin offensives,forcing theVistulaandOderrivers. In August for the breakthrough of German defenses west of Kovel the division received theOrder of the Red Banner,and then-Major General Chernyak theOrder of Suvorov2nd class. In May 1945 for the breakthrough of the German defenses on the Oder and for successful fulfillment of objectives in the Berlin offensive he was awarded theOrder of Kutuzov2nd class.

Postwar

After the end of the war, Chernyak after the disbandment of the division in June and July was placed at the disposal of theGroup of Soviet Occupation Forces in GermanyMilitary Council, and then was appointed chief of the group's Combat and Political Training Directorate. From August 1947 he served asmilitary commissarofKalinin Oblast,and transferred to hold the same position inKrasnodar Kraiin January 1954. Chernyak was transferred to the reserve in April 1958, and died on 20 July 1976 in Krasnodar.

Decorations

Chernyak was a recipient of the following decorations:

• Order of Lenin(3)
• Order of the Red Banner(3)
• Order of Suvorov,2nd class (2)
• Order of Kutuzov,2nd class
• Order of the Cross of Grunwald,3rd class (Polish People's Republic)
• Cross of Valour(Polish People's Republic)

References

Bibliography

• Tsapayev, D.A.; et al. (2014).Великая Отечественная: Комдивы. Военный биографический словарь[The Great Patriotic War: Division Commanders. Military Biographical Dictionary] (in Russian). Vol. 5. Moscow: Kuchkovo Pole.ISBN978-5-9950-0457-8.