To my son Constantine, the future defender of our dear homeland, from his father. Vidyaev. June 23, 1943. active fleet " On November 7, 1912, Fyodor Vidyaev was born in the village of Stefania Shantala, Koshkinsky District, Samara Region. His childhood was spent in Murmansk. In 1932, with the permission of the Murmansk Regional Committee of the Komsomol, he was sent to the Higher Naval School named after M. V. Furonza. After graduating from college, Vidyaev chose to serve in the Northern Fleet. Then he finished his studies in the high special departments of the submarine command.
During the Great Patriotic War Fyodor Vidyaev became one of the most effective commanders of the submarine fleet. Under his command, the crew of the submarine "Shech-421" carried out daring and successful military operations against German convoys in the Barents Sea. Later he was given the command of the boat "Shekh-422". The fighting crew spent more than 300 days at sea with their commander, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. The submarines accounted for 25 destroyed German ships. For bravery, courage and high fighting skill, "Shch-422" won the title of guards.
On the evening of June 30, 1943, Sh-422 went on its nineteenth combat mission. As it turned out, the last Fyodor Vidyaev and the entire crew (45 people) are missing in the area of Cape Makur - Verdo Island. According to one version, the submarine was blown up by a mine, according to another version, it died in a battle with anti-submarine ships or was destroyed by depth charges of a German BV-138 aircraft. For military services, Fyodor Alekseevich Vidyaev, Captain of the Guard 3rd Class, was awarded three Orders of the Red Banner, and was awarded the Order of the British Empire, IV Class (posthumously). Monuments to Fyodor Vidyaev were erected in the city of Polyarny (1943) and in the Vidyavu garrison (1968).