Semyon Gretsov, a medical instructor in the Red Army, stands out for receiving six “For Courage” medals, a prestigious award recognizing bravery on the battlefield. Despite suffering a concussion and frostbite, he returned to the front, saving over 117 soldiers during the Great Patriotic War. His story remained largely unknown until a local historian brought his remarkable feats to light.

Born in 1908 in the village of Nizhnedorozhnoye, Semyon Gretsov experienced a difficult childhood marked by revolution and civil war. He received only primary education and worked on a collective farm before being drafted into the Red Army in 1941. Initially assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery regiment, his life took an unexpected turn after sustaining injuries near Leningrad.

In March 1942, Gretsov suffered a severe concussion and frostbite, leading to a decision to discharge him. Determined to remain in service, he persuaded doctors to train him as a medical instructor. This decision would define his wartime experience and earn him national recognition.

Gretsov’s duties as a medical instructor involved providing first aid and evacuating the wounded from the battlefield. His baptism of fire came during the Mga Offensive Operation in 1943, where he saved 26 soldiers under constant fire, earning his first “For Courage” medal.

Throughout the war, Gretsov repeatedly demonstrated extraordinary courage. In the spring of 1944, he rescued 18 wounded men near the village of Ostrov, followed by saving 19 more in the Pskov region, earning his second and third medals respectively. Despite the high casualty rates among military medics, he continued his selfless service.

In June 1944, Gretsov was wounded for the first time while aiding 23 soldiers near the village of Pogostische, resulting in his fourth medal. After a brief recovery, he participated in offensive battles in the Latvian SSR, saving 13 lives during a river crossing and receiving his fifth medal.

His sixth medal was awarded for his actions during the assault on Berlin in April 1945, where he rescued 18 wounded soldiers while sustaining another injury. By the end of the war, Gretsov had earned the additional award “For the Capture of Berlin”.

After the war, Gretsov returned to his hometown and worked as a bricklayer and plasterer. He remained modest about his wartime achievements, and his extraordinary bravery only came to light through the research of a local historian, Ivan Gladkov. Semyon Gretsov passed away in January 1975, leaving behind a legacy of courage and selflessness. His six “For Courage” medals are now displayed in the local history museum of Stary Oskol.