Gromadin, Mikhail Stepanovich

From OnAirpower.org

Name:	Gromadin, Mikhail Stepanovich (Громадин, Михаил Степанович)
Years:	1899-1962
Rank:	Lt. Gen.
Nationality:	Soviet
Remarks:	One of the early Soviet Air Defense (PVO) commanders and the first to command the National Air Defense Forces (PVO Strany)

[edit] Biography

Gromadin joined the Red Army in 1918 and served as an infantryman during the Russian Civil War. After the war he held a variety of command positions in the ground forces and attended military schools, including the Frunze Academy. In 1934 he became Chief of Staff of a rifle regiment in the Moscow Military District^[1].

Gromadin's association with the Air Defense forces began in 1935 with his appointment to the position of assistant commander of the Moscow Military District's Air Defense section. On March 30, 1938 he was promoted from assistant commander to commander. He played a key role in the foundation of the 1st Air Defense Corps, which united the various anti-aircraft artillery, projector units, aerostats, and observation posts in the region of Moscow into a single unit. Gromadin became the commander of the 1st Air Defense Corps in January, 1940, followed by promotion to Maj. Gen. in June of the same year^[1].

In May, 1941, Gromadin was named commander of the recently-created Moscow Air Defense Zone, which combined the forces of the 1st Air Defense Corps with aviation assets from the 6th Fighter Corps as well as several independent brigade-sized air defense units.