Vasile Atanasiu

Who was Vasile Atanasiu?

Vasile Atanasiu was a Romanian general.

He graduated from the "Military School of Artillery, Combat Engineering and Navy officers" in 1907, with the rank of sub-lieutenant, being promoted lieutenant in 1910, captain in 1915 and major in 1917 during World War I. After the war he attended the Şcoala Superioară de Război, at present Carol I National Defence University, graduating in 1920 when he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant colonel.

After reaching the rank of colonel in 1928, and of Brigadier General in 1935, Vasile Atanasiu was advanced to Divisional General in 1940, before the beginning of World War II and to Lieutenant General in 1942.

He served as Commander of the 2nd Army Corps in 1941, and moved to the 3d Army Corps which he commanded from June 22, 1941 to March 20, 1943. In this capacity he led the Corps in the military actions for the liberation of Bessarabia in the battle for the beachhead of Albiţa on the Prut River, and then in the advance to the Dniester at Tiraspol. He was then in command of the corps on the front line from Karpovo to Dalnik during the battle for Odessa.