Soviet Air Force Engineer Colonel D. I. Stepanov

[Guest Rick Research]

This is a "researched" paperwork partial group only because the Military Identification Book already provides most of the information that archival research would provide. Somewhere... out there... is the REST of Colonel Stepanov's group!

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Dmitry Ivanovich STEPANOV

1) Hard covered red award booklet for the 1938 Red Army ?Jubilee? medal (actually for 20 years service), serial number 3350.

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With small photo of Stepanov (never unit stamped) as ?Mileng 3rd Rank? (Military Engineer Major).

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Collar tabs with two rectangular rank bars and crossed hammers branch devices, with technical specialist tab edging. Nothing here to show that he was air force rather than army-- yet!

[Guest Rick Research]

2) Award certificate for Capture of K?nigsberg Medal, serial # A 265646, issued on 8 May 1946 to Stepanov as Engineer Colonel, by Political Department deputy chief, Guards Colonel ?Kob..kin,? with unit stamp of the 5th Red Banner ?Lublinsky? Bomber Aviation Division.

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3) A large personnel file type photo of Stepanov circa 1946-47, wearing M1943 tunic of an Air Force Engineer Colonel. Wearing two Orders of the Patriotic War, 2 Orders of the Red Star, an Order of Lenin, 2 Orders of the Red Banner (both initial award types), the 1938 ?Jubilee? Medal, Victory Over Germany Medal, Capture of K?nigsberg Medal, and below these, the Polish Baltic, Oder, Neisse Medal. The first four Soviet ribboned awards are on a group mounting. Slight crease at top as if once paper clipped, but never had any reverse notation or stamp.

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[Guest Rick Research]

4) Military photo ID issued 30 September 1949.

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Photo--wearing M1943 dress uniform of AF Eng. Colonel. Obvioulsy life on the higher staff was agreeing with the Comrade-- though long term health consequences are obvious.

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Stepanov has added a ?3? shield Red Banner and the 1948 Military Jubilee Medal to his awards, still wearing the same four medal bar (distinctive wrinkle in Lenin ribbon), but the third ORB has displaced his 1938, now on a single medal?s mount like the other awards below his group mount.

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This ID states that he was born 24 February 1901 in the city of Makar?ev in Kostromskaya Oblast. He had sons Yury, b. 1925, and Vadim, b. 1928 by an unnamed 1st wife, and then current wife Marta Pavlovna Klevtsova, born 1912, had son Vladimir b. 1947. Stepanov?s date of rank as Air Force Engineer Colonel was 1 May 1943. This single position ID shows him as Chief Engineer of ?Military Unit 13709,? and is twice signed by his ?unit? CO, three star Colonel-General Goryunov. Goryunov was WW2 CO of 5th Air Army, from 1942 to ?, so he was already Stepanov?s commander in 1946 (5th Bomber Division of 5th Air Army). I am not sure whether Goryunov was STILL commanding 5th Air Army in 1949. Goryunov signed this book twice. The book is serial numbered BYe 26029. There are no transfers to other units listed, before or since, so this ID was specially issued solely for Stepanov?s assignment as Chief Air Force Engineer on the staff of ?Unit 13709.? He has made notations in the back of the book with 1920s and 1930s dates (appear to be service regulation paragraphs), as well as some major?s telephone number.

Somewhere... out there... is the REST of this group.