Kuzma Nikolayevich Derevyanko ( uk, Кузьма Миколайович Дерев'янко, russian: Кузьма́ Никола́евич Деревя́нко; ; November 14 (O.S. 1), 1904 – December 30, 1954) was a Ukrainian
Lieutenant General in the
Soviet Army.
Life
Derevyanko was born on November 14, 1904, in the village of
Kosenivka,
Umansky Uyezd
Umansky Uyezd (''Уманский уезд'') was one of the subdivisions of the Kiev Governorate of the Russian Empire. It was situated in the southern part of the governorate. Its administrative centre was Uman.
Demographics
At the time of the ...
,
Kiev Governorate,
Russian Empire (now
Ukraine). Derevyanko (at the time Chief of Staff of the
35th Army) was the representative of the
Soviet Union at the ceremonial signing of the written agreement that established the
armistice ending the
Pacific War
The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vast ...
and with it
World War II. The Soviet delegation joined other Allied representatives on the battleship ''
USS Missouri'' which was anchored in Tokyo Bay. Together, the waiting Allies silently acknowledged the representatives of the Japanese Emperor and the representative of the Imperial Japanese Army, who were the last to arrive. The proceedings began when
General MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American military leader who served as General of the Army for the United States, as well as a field marshal to the Philippine Army. He had served with distinction in World War I, was C ...
stepped before a single
microphone. The 23-minute surrender ceremony was broadcast worldwide. Derevyanko signed the
Japanese Instrument of Surrender at precisely 9:17 a.m. in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945.
[Broom, Jack]
"Memories on Board Battleship,"
''Seattle Times.'' May 21, 1998. He served as Soviet representative at MacArthur's headquarters during the US occupation of Japan.
He died on December 30, 1954, and was buried at
Novodevichy Cemetery
Novodevichy Cemetery ( rus, Новоде́вичье кла́дбище, Novodevichye kladbishche) is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist ...
. In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the title of
Hero of Ukraine.
Award
He was awarded:
*
Hero of Ukraine
*Two
Orders of Lenin
*Two
Orders of the Red Banner
The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet Union, Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War b ...
*
Order of Suvorov 1st class
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...
*
Order of Kutuzov 1st class
*
Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky
*
Order of the Red Star
The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...
*
*
Medal "For the Victory over Japan"
The Medal "For the Victory over Japan" (russian: Медаль «За победу над Японией») was a campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on September 30, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet ...
*
Medal "For the Capture of Budapest"
The Medal "For the Capture of Budapest" (russian: Медаль «За взятие Будапешта») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on 9 June 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ...
*
Medal "For the Capture of Vienna"
The Medal "For the Capture of Vienna" (russian: Медаль «За взятие Вены») was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to satisfy ...
*
Jubilee Medal "XX Years of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army"
*
Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy"
Notes
References
*Mooney, James L. (1976)
''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.''Washington, D.C.:
United States Navy.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Derevyanko, Kuzma
1904 births
1954 deaths
People from Cherkasy Oblast
People from Umansky Uyezd
Soviet lieutenant generals
GRU officers
Frunze Military Academy alumni
Soviet military personnel of the Winter War
Soviet military personnel of World War II
Ukrainian people of World War II
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner
Recipients of the Order of Kutuzov, 1st class
Recipients of the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky (Soviet Union), 1st class
Recipients of the Order of Suvorov, 2nd class
Recipients of the Order of Kutuzov, 2nd class
Recipients of the Order of Gold Star (Ukraine)
Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery