Grigori Shchedrin

Who is Grigori Shchedrin?

Grigori Ivanovich Shchedrin Russian: Григо́рий Ива́нович Щедри́н was a Soviet Navy submarine commander and admiral. He was a Hero of the Soviet Union

Shchedrin was born in Tuapse and joined the merchant navy as a fourteen-year-old. He continued his education at a marine college and graduated as a navigator in 1932.

Shchedrin joined the navy's submarine servoice in 1934, He commanded boats M-5 and Shch-110 and won first prize in the Soviet Pacific Fleet in 1939 to 1941. In 1941 he was given command of the new Soviet S-class submarine S-56.

In 1942 Shchedrin led a flotilla of six submarines from the Pacific fleet to join the Red Banner Northern Fleet across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans via the Panama Canal. This squadron reached Plyarnny in March 1943. The S-56 carried out 8 war patrols sinking two transports and two warships. Shchedrin wa awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union on 5 November 1944.

Shchedrin was chief of staff of the Baltic Fleet's 2nd submarine squadron from 1946–1950, In 1950-53 he was base commander at Świnoujście, Poland. In 1954 he graduated from the general staff academy with the gold medal and was promoted to Vice Admiral.