The people's memory preserves the names of the heroes who defended our country in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. Among them were football players from Moscow's "Dynamo".
In this list are those who went to war after ending their careers, fought and returned with combat awards: Ivan Nikolaevich Ovechkin, Vasily Sergeevich Pavlov, Yaroslav Viktorovich Titov, Fyodor Fyodorovich Chulkov, Konstantin Vasilievich Fomin, Frants Mikhailovich Shimkunas.
Others left for the front at a young age, and upon returning, became footballers and played for "Dynamo": Sergey Vasilievich Nikultsev, Anatoly Sergeevich Rodionov, Vladimir Grigorievich Savdunin, Leonid Konstantinovich Solovyov, Alexander Alexandrovich Tenyagin, Andrey Ivanovich Yurchenko.
Some had their budding careers interrupted by the war for several years, but this did not prevent them from returning to professional football: Alexander Fomich Malyavkin, Alexander Sergeevich Petrov, Pyotr Sergeevich Petrov.
Among them were footballers who played in the Moscow championship in the club team "Dynamo": Gleb Pavlovich Belyanchikov, Sergey Dmitrievich Bogolyubov, Mikhail Ivanovich Eliseev, Anatoly Andreevich Zudov, Anatoly Nikolaevich Shatrov, Ivan Ivanovich Ratnikov (killed).
In August 1941, during an air raid on Moscow, Sergey Dmitrievich Chernikov was killed while on duty on the roof of one of the buildings. Vladimir Verkholashin in his book "Dynamo Players" also recalls other footballers of the club team who were killed: Vladimir Kaloshin, Nikolai Kantimirov, Andrey Nikolaenko.
A participant in the war was the first-rank military doctor, recipient of the "Red Star" order Alexey Andreevich Sokolov — the first official coach of the master's team in Dynamo's history.
It is quite possible that not everyone is mentioned in this list. We would be very grateful for any help in perpetuating the memory of the Dynamo footballers who fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War.
Eternal memory and gratitude to the heroes!