Sergey Georgyevich Gorshkov (; 26 February 1910 – 13 May 1988) was an admiral of the fleet of the Soviet Union. Twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, he oversaw the expansion of the Soviet Navy into a global force during the Cold War. Early life and prewar service Born in Kamianets-Podilskyi to a Russian family, Gorshkov grew up in Kolomna. After joining the Soviet Navy in 1927, he entered the M.V. Frunze Naval School in Leningrad during October of that year. Gorshkov began his service with the Black Sea Fleet (then known as the Black Sea Naval Forces) upon graduation in November 1931 as a watch officer aboard the destroyer . He quickly became its navigator a month later and in March 1932 transferred to the Pacific Fleet to serve in the same position aboard the minelayer . Promoted to become flagship navigator of the minelaying and minesweeping brigade of the fleet in January 1934, Gorshkov was given command of the Uragan-class guard ship Buran in November of that year. He studied at courses for destroyer commanders between December 1936 and March 1937, becoming commander of the destroyer following completion. After becoming chief of staff of the Pacific Fleet Destroyer Brigade in October, Gorshkov was appointed its commander in May 1938. During this period he participated in the Battle of Lake Khasan before being transferred west to command the Black Sea Fleet Cruiser Brigade in June 1940. World War II From the first days after the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union, the brigade participated in the operations of the Black Sea Fleet. Gorshkov was promoted to rear admiral on 16 September. During the Siege of Odessa Gorshkov led a landing in the area of Grigorievka before taking command of the Azov Flotilla in October. In late December and early January 1942 he commanded the landings on the north coast of the Kerch Peninsula. During August Gorshkov commanded 150 warships of the flotilla in a breakout from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea after the withdraw of Soviet troops to Novorossiysk. After the resulting disbandment of the flotilla, he became deputy commander of naval forces and a member of the military council of the Novorossiysk Defense District. Gorshkov temporarily commanded the troops of the 47th Army defending the region in November during the Battle of the Caucasus. After taking command