Admiral Viktor Liina Congratulates Submarine Veteran Vladimir Meister on Navy Day

Vladivostok, Russia (July 24, 2024) – The Commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Viktor Liina, congratulated the world’s oldest submarine veteran of the Great Patriotic War, Captain 1st Rank Vladimir Leontievich Meister, on the upcoming Navy Day. At 101 years old, Vladimir Leontievich remains a living symbol of the courage and resilience of naval officers.

Admiral Liina visited Vladimir Meister at his home in Vladivostok, where he presented a commemorative address on behalf of the Military Council of the Pacific Fleet and spoke with the veteran. Vladimir Leontievich shared his memories of serving on submarines during the war and the challenges he faced.

During the festive lunch for the veteran, the Pacific Fleet’s Song and Dance Ensemble performed his favorite songs, creating a warm holiday atmosphere.

Biography of Vladimir Meister:

Vladimir Leontievich Meister was born on September 13, 1923, in Irkutsk. In June 1941, he entered the Leningrad Naval School named after Dzerzhinsky, but with the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War, he was sent to study in Vladivostok. In 1945, he graduated from the Pacific Higher Naval School and was appointed navigator on the submarine M-46 (“Malyutka”) of the Pacific Fleet, where he participated in the war against Japan. From 1945 to 1950, he served in Port Arthur, then completed commander courses in Leningrad, and in 1952 was appointed commander of the submarine Shch-135 (“Shchuka”). In the late 1950s, he transitioned to staff work. He retired in 1975 and worked as a lecturer at the military department of the Far Eastern State Technical University until his retirement in 1998.

Vladimir Leontievich Meister is Russia’s oldest submariner, a retired Captain 1st Rank, and the last living participant of the Great Patriotic War from the graduates of the S.O. Makarov Pacific Higher Naval School. For his service, he was awarded the Orders of the Patriotic War II degree and the Red Star, as well as the medals “For Military Merit,” Zhukov, “For the Victory over Germany,” and “For the Victory over Japan.”