Aleksandr Ivanovich Chebotar was born in June 1906 in Litovskaya into the family of a railroad clerk.  He grew up on the railroads, with his father working as an office clerk and assistant chief of station for the railroad station at Popelyani, up until the time of the Revolution.  Because of his loyalty, after the revolution, he was promoted to become the assistant chief of station for the Minsk passenger station. 

In 1927, a young Aleksandr began working for the Minsk Central Working Cooperative as an economist.  Two years later, in 1929, he joined the Red Army, but was demobilized after one year and then took a job as a Instructor of Economics at the Central Council of the OSOVIAHIM in Belorus. 

The next year, he entered the Belorussian Institute of National Economy as a student, and upon graduation, began working at GOSPLAN as a senior economist.  In 1937, he began working as the chief of the Planning-Economics Department of the Minsk Tire Plant. 

From 1938 until the start of the War in June 1941, he worked for the Belorussian Communal Bank as chief of the Loan Department, and later, Assistant Director of the bank.

One day after the German invasion, he was mobilized into the Red Army, becoming an Assistant Battery Commander for the 39^th Artillery Regiment.  He was then promoted to Regimental Chief of Staff for the 39^th, and then became the Chief of Staff for the 528^th Artillery Regiment.

While serving here, he was awarded his first award, that of the medal “For Military Merit” on 29 June 1942.   The citation reads as follows:

            “Comrade Chebotar is the senior assistant to the Chief of Staff of the Regiment. He demonstrates exceptional initiative and energy in operating and managing units. He systematically completes the regiment’s military tasks.

            “On the night of June 28, 1942, after a massive mortar-artillery barrage from the enemy along the defensive lines of the 29^th Guards Red Rifle Division and 144^th Rifle Division, fascist soldiers attacked the lines of the 144^th Rifle Division in the area of the village Ivanniki.  The enemy was able to occupy the village of Ivanniki, however, due to the exceptionally organized preparation by Captain Chebotar, they were displaced from the village, suffering major losses, and retreated to their initial positions.

            “With accurate and precisely timed artillery fire, Captain Cherbotar directed the regiment in the extermination of numerous enemy personnel.

            “As the result of this well-planned barrage, at 0226, in the area of height 241.1, one enemy mortar battery and a battery of three 75mm cannon were destroyed.           

            “At 0320, our regiment opened fire at the edge of the woods 1000 meters to the east of Vasilki.  There, they exterminated up to one complete battalion of enemy infantry. 

            “At 0800, when the enemy division again commenced their attack at the edge of the woods, 800 meters north-east of the village of Ivanniki, our artillery destroyed two light machine guns, two heavy machine guns and exterminated a complete company of enemy infantry. 

“At 1850, the enemy began to form at the edge of the woods to the east of Ivanniki and height 255.0.  A well-organized barrage from our artillery into the enemy concentration allowed Captain Cherbotar to once again scatter the enemy and cause them to retreat after suffering severe personnel and equipment losses. 

            “For the disruption of the enemy attack, skillfully organized by Captain Chebotar, Supreme Headquarters of the 5^th Army announced their personal gratitude to our Regiment.

             “Combining the qualities of well-groomed and highly educated artillery commander with vast knowledge of organization and headquarters work, Captain Chebotar deserves the Governmental award – Order of Patriotic War, Second Class.”

Following this, he was then promoted to Chief of Staff for the 5^th Artillery Brigade. 

While here, he saw extensive combat, leading to his next award, the Order of the Great Patriotic War, First Class in March 1943.  The citation:

            “During operations with the 20^th Army on the Osuga-Sychevka Front, comrade Cherbotar conducted a large amount of reconnaissance.  Studying the enemy’s actions, he managed to pinpoint seven light and twelve heavy artillery batteries.  These were completely neutralized during our artillery attack.

            “While serving with the 16^th Army on the Kotovichi-Tirokovka Front, he once again conducted a large amount of personal reconnaissance.  From this, he was able to direct his unit in the neutralization of eleven enemy artillery batteries. 

            “Three hours later, our units came under the attack of several enemy 105mm artillery batteries. He organized the neutralization of these batteries in coordination with our ground attack aviation.

            “In the battles from 22 February through 13 March 1943, he coordinated precise communications with the divisions and regiments of the breakthrough units of the 5^th Army.  This enabled the high command to concentrate artillery fire for highest effectiveness

            “In the battles on 9 March 1943, near Bukan, he correctly estimated the time of the enemy attack.  When they attacked, he coordinated the fire of his units, and dispersed the enemy, exterminating up to a battalion of enemy infantry and destroying six tanks in the process.

            “For his initiative, personal reconnaissance, precise planning, and organization, which resulted in the neutralization of twenty-six enemy batteries, and the complete destruction of four heavy artillery batteries, he deserves the Governmental Award, Order of the Patriotic War, First Class.”

Not but a few months later, in August 1943, he was nominated for his next award- the Order of Aleksandr Nevsky:

            “Comrade Cherbotar personally managed the planning and preparation of the Brigade and the regimental units for the breakthrough of the fortified line in the area of Dudino-Ozhigovo. 

            “Due to his skillful coordination, his breakthrough plan worked exceedingly well, and allowed the Brigade to fulfill their mission. 

            “During the battle, comrade Cherbotar skillfully directed the fighting of the regiments, which allowed our troops to advance.

            “Comrade Cherbotar foresaw potential counterattacks, and directed the fire of the Brigade, successfully stopping several attacks.

            “For the precise planning of the artillery assault plan to break through the defensive line of the enemy, for the skillful coordination of the fighting of regiments deep within the defensive line of the enemy, for directing the artillery barrage to halt the fierce counterattacks by enemy tanks, comrade Cherbotar deserves the Governmental award, Order of Aleksandr Nevsky”

Continuing their attack against the Germans, Colonel Cherbotar was awarded his last award in December 1943.  This was his Order of the Red Banner:

“On December 22, 1943, after a ten-day march, the Brigade took offensive positions in the line of the 1^st Guards Rifle Army, making up Army Group DD. On December 23, 1943 it first saw action against enemy attacks in the area of Radomishl.

            “As a result of the artillery regiments accurate fire and thorough reconnaissance, skillfully organized by comrade Chebotar, all enemy attempts to move forward were stopped.  The fire from the regiment also cost the enemy significant losses in materiel and personnel.

            “On December 24, 1943 units of the 1^st Guards Rifle Army began the offensive. Comrade Chebotar received the task to neutralize the fire of enemy artillery. Utilizing sound reconnaissance and SND data, comrade Chebotar determined the locations of the enemy batteries and formed a systematic plan of destruction.

            “From post-action reconnaissance, it was determined that every enemy artillery battery had been neutralized, totaling twenty-eight enemy batteries with cannon and personnel.  As a result, the entire battles for the cities of Radomishl and Zhitomir were without enemy artillery interference. 

            “During the battles for Radomishl and Zhitomir, the enemy counter-attacked several times. As a result of well-organized observation by the men of Lieutenant Colonel Cerbotar, all of the enemy attacks were destroyed while at their initial positions with countless losses of enemy soldiers and material. 

            “As a part of Army Group DD, the Brigade, despite the lack of a formal attached reconnaissance unit, continued its mission with great success against the artillery and mortars of the enemy. 

            “During the battles, with well-organized reconnaissance, the Brigade eliminated an additional ten artillery and twelve mortar batteries and their crews, allowing the infantry to move unhindered by enemy artillery fire. 

            “For the skillful management of multiple artillery regiments; the destruction of the enemy while commencing their attacks, causing severe losses in enemy material and personnel; for the neutralization of the enemy artillery, and for skillfully organizing area reconnaissance, comrade Chebotar deserves the Governmental award Order of Bogdan Khmelnitskii, Second Class.”

His Khmelntskii was approved all the way up to the Commander of the Front, Colonel General (and later Marshal of the Soviet Union) Grechko, who recommended him for the Order of the Red Banner. 

In early 1944, Colonel Cherbotar was wounded severely, and returned to Moscow, spending over one year in the hospital recovering.  That wasn’t the end of his career, however.  In May 1945, with the cessation of hostiles in Europe, he was sent to the Pacific, to serve as the Command Artillery Advisor with the 34^th Rifle Division in Manchuria. 

According to the order of battle for the 34^th Rifle Division, they had a quiet War, until 8 August 1945. With the declaration of War on Japan, they crossed the Amur River, advanced through 150 kilometers of dense swampland to the Sangari River, crossed that, fought their way into the town of Chiamussu, and captured a vital bridgehead- all in the space of seven days!  

With that was the end of the War for Colonel Cherbotar.

Additional photos of Cherbotar's Group