Background
Turkenich was born on January 15, 1920 in Novyi Liman, Voronezh Oblast in a family of Ukrainian ethnicity. His father was a miner.
Turkenich was born on January 15, 1920 in Novyi Liman, Voronezh Oblast in a family of Ukrainian ethnicity. His father was a miner.
In 1938 Ivan studied in Sevastopol railroad trade school.
After graduation from the 7th grade Ivan was matriculated to Voroshilov pedagogical institute. In 1940 he began his studies in anti-aircraft artillery military academy. In June 1941, Turkenich graduated from the academy and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Red Army.
From May to June 1942 he was a deputy executive officer (помощник начальника штаба) in the 614th anti-tank artillery regiment.
In one of its engagements he was captured by Germans, escaped from imprisonment and joined the anti-Nazi resistance in occupied Krasnodon (Краснодон). When the Young Guard was compromised and most of its members arrested by Nazis, Ivan Turkenich managed to escape.
He crossed the front lines and rejoined the uniformed Red Army. He was promoted to command a mortar battery in the 163rd regiment.
On August 13, 1944 Ivan Turkenich was mortally wounded in a battle near Głogów, Poland.
He died in the field hospital a day later on August 14, 1944.
In March 1938 he became a member of the Communist Youth League (Комсомол). He became one of the leaders of the Young Guard (Молодой Гвардия) – Communist Youth League resistance organization.
In June 1944 Turkenich became a member of the Communist Party.