Memorial plaque to a known Soviet submariner will be opened in St. Petersburg

17.02.2011 Memorial plaque to Capt 1 rank Vasily Turayev, a commanding officer who led the longest cruise of Soviet submarine in the WW2 will be opened in St. Petersburg on housefront of 12, Nalichnaya Str., reports Interfax.

The corresponding decree was posted on official website of the city administration. The following inscription will be engraved on the plaque: "Capt 1 rank Vasily A. Turayev, commanding officer of Baltic Fleet and Northern Fleet submarines of the Great Patriotic War, lived in this house since 1959 till 1966".

Opening of the memorial plaque is an initiative of regional public organization "St. Petersburg Submariners' Club and Navy Veterans".

V. Turayev was born in 1907 and joined the Navy in 1926. After graduation from Voroshilov Naval Academy in March 1940 he was appointed commander of submarine S-12 which was under construction then. When the World War II began, Turayev commanded the same sub in the rank of Capt. Lt.

Since Sept, 19 till Nov 18, 1942 Soviet submarine S-12 under command of V. Turayev carried out the longest combat cruise in Soviet submarine fleet of that period – 62 days.

Later he was transferred to Northern Fleet and appointed commander of M-108; in two months he became the CO of the newest M-200; since Feb 1944 V. Turayev headed S-104.

Prior to the war termination in Apr 1945 V. Turayev was promoted to undersecretary of submarine navigation department, Northern Fleet HQ; since Nov 1945 he served as executive officer of submarine brigade.

On Aug 31, 1949 he was promoted to the rank of Capt 1 rank. Shortly before the retirement (1964) he served in Baltic Ship Acceptance Board.

Submarines commanded by V. Turayev had performed 12 torpedo attacks and launched 21 torpedoes, resulted in shipwreck of 1 transport vessel and 1 warship.

V. Turayev died early in 1970's. He was awarded by seven orders, including five Orders of the Red Banner (he obtained three of them in 1944), and numerous medals.