Ivan Bagramyan (1897–1982)
Born 1897 CE, died 1982 CE.
Ivan Khristoforovich Bagramyan, born Hovhannes Baghramyan (2 December [O.S. 20 November] 1897 – 21 September 1982), was a Soviet military commander of Armenian origin who held the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union. As commander of the 1st Baltic Front, he orchestrated the offensives which pushed German forces out of the Baltic countries on the Eastern Front of World War II. Bagramyan was the second non-Slavic military officer, after Latvian Max Reyter, to become a commander of a front. He was among several high-ranking Armenian officers serving in the Soviet Army during the war. Bagramyan's experience in military planning as a chief of staff allowed him to distinguish himself as a capable commander in the early stages of the Soviet counter-offensives against Nazi Germany. He was given his first command of a unit in 1942, and in November 1943 received his most prestigious command as the commander of the 1st Baltic Front. He did not immediately join the Communist Party after the consolidation of the October Revolution, becoming a member only in 1941, a move atypical for a Soviet military officer.
Text from the Wikipedia article Ivan_Bagramyan, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.