Vadim Petrovich Shcherbakov

Who is Vadim Petrovich Shcherbakov?

Vadim Petrovich Shcherbakov was an officer in the Soviet Air Defense Forces. As a senior lieutenant, he was serving in the 260th "Bryansky" Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. In 1966-1967 Shcherbakov's whole regiment was temporarily assigned as a Group of Soviet Military Advisors in Vietnam and in March 1966 was transferred to North Vietnam, where the regiment was tasked with establishing a training center and training the NVA's 274th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment for combat duty. In North Vietnam Shcherbakov served as a SAM operator/instructor, and specialized as a fire control operator during combat deployments. For his service Shcherbakov received the Order of Lenin, the highest Soviet decoration after returning from North Vietnam in 1967. Task Force Russia: POW/MIA in their 18th report claims that formerly closed soviet sources credited him with 10 combat engagements and 6 kills. After Vietnam, Shcherbakov continued his service, eventually reaching the rank of Colonel. Very little is known about his biography except for multiple brief mentions in Soviet Officers' Vietnam War memoirs. He was still alive in 1991, when he was attending an annual meeting of the Russian Association of Vietnam War veterans. He was a retired Colonel at that time.