Soviet Citation for a screw back Order of Lenin

[Digger Doug]

Here's a citation for an early Lenin. As I understand it, it is difficult to find research for these early ones. Lt. Slyusarenko was truely a brave guy. His award card is dated 1946 so it looks like he made it home. He also got a OPW 1 & OPW2 which, unfortunately, are out there somewhere.

During the withdrawal of units of the 17th Rifle Corps from the ChERNOVITSA region, Lt. Slyusarenko received a special mission personally confirmed by the Corps Commander. During the course of blowing up three bridges, displaying courage, valor and heroism, one of the three bridges leading from the city of Chernovitsa over the Prut River did not detonate by electrical means due to damage to the circuit as a result of the appearance of a large amount of precipitation. With only minutes remaining (the enemy was already in the city), Lt. Slyusarenko, risking his life, decided to conduct the detonation using a backup short fuse method by means of a 10-cm fuse line. At the moment of detonation, he himself was underneath the bridge at the foundations, subjecting himself to the very detonation itself, disregarding the danger of being blown up along with the bridge. The bridge was blown up exactly at the designated timeframe at 0300, 04 July 1941. The enemy was detained in the city, which allowed the withdrawal of 17th Rifle Corps forces. Then and there Lt. Slyusarenko was dispatched to the river crossing area in the vicinity of Moseresn and there assisted in the liquidation of the breakthrough by forces of the 96th GSD over the Dniester River, exhibiting decisive shrewdness, resourcefulness, bravery and outstanding knowledge of his mission, and therefore deserves the award of the Order of ?Lenin.?

[Guest Rick Research]

The Awards Record Card should indicate "current occupation and address" down bottom on the front side, so that will confirm his status.

This is absolutely typical of EARLY awards, before standards fell, being generally much LESS recognized than late ar ones.

If ever there was a Gold Star Hero-- what he did for this Lenin was it!

Post the ARC and any personnel file copies you received!

[Digger Doug]

Here's the front side of the award card. Hope this works![attachmentid=13305]

Edited October 15, 2005 by Digger Doug

[Guest Rick Research]

OK, make me SHARP copies and I can play with the sizing a BIT-- this is still blurred enough I don't get it all:

[attachmentid=13306]

1&2) Trofim (Mifodeevich?) Slyosarenko

3) Guards Major

4) peasant class background

5) born 1909

6)birthplace is too fuzzy too read... Odesskaya Oblast, Something raion, town of...

7)member CPSU since 1942

8)is education level which is too fuzzy for me to read

9) Ukrainian

10) served in Red Army February 1931 to (June?) 1946

11) Divisional Engineer on staff of the 242nd Mountain Rifles Division was last post

12) Current job in city of Kh(ust?) in Trans-Carpathian Oblast, at Essential Factory No 4 "UkrGlavKhleb" which as far as I can make out would be "Ukrainian Main Bread", as Director.

13) that illegaible town in blurry Oblast as his home address at street address "Red Army No. 47."

[Digger Doug]

Here's another attempt[attachmentid=13313]

[Digger Doug]

Another try at the front:

[attachmentid=13314]

[Digger Doug]

Here's the top half of the first page of the citation for the O. Lenin:

[attachmentid=13318]

[Digger Doug]

Here's the bottom half of page 1:

[attachmentid=13319]

[Digger Doug]

Top half of page 2:

[attachmentid=13320]

[Digger Doug]

Bottom half of page 2:

[attachmentid=13321]

[Digger Doug]

Here's the bottom of page 3 (top half was not filled out):

[attachmentid=13322]

[Digger Doug]

OK, there it is. Be kind to my original translation unless I'm really off. I have no Russian language abilities - my translations are a combo of the online translators coupled with my HMSO Russian - English dictionary.

[Guest Rick Research]

You've got the scans right now!!!!!

Citation is spot on, I think!

96 GSD = 96th Mountain Rifles Division.

His patronymic was ( a new one on me) Mifod'evich.

Born in town of Mayaki, Belyaevsky Raion, Odesskaya Oblast.

A kholkoznik/collective farmer before joining the army.

His 1946 residence was indeed a place named KHUST.

The citation says he was a Platoon Commander in the 50th Independent sappers Battalion of 17th "SK" which I'm assuming is "Rifles Corps."

#9 in there states he had received a "valuable present" from the commander of the 17th "SK" for execution of military orders, and had received 15 "encouragements" (which I'm assuming meant something like mentions in orders) for the readiness of his platoon and personal distinguished marks in military and political readiness.

Oddly enough, his awards "ran downhill" from highest first to lowest last-- the amazing lenin that should have been a Gold Star, a very early OPW1 (from 56th Army), then an OPW2 (looks like 4th? Gds Army), and finally a long service MMM. He ought by rights to have recieved a 15 years long service Red Star but apparently was discharged before the paperwork lag.

[Digger Doug]

Rick,

Thanks for adding so much to my earlier translation. The hand printed stuff gives me fits. I've been interpreting "GSD" as Guards Rifle Divison rather than Mountain Rifle Division. I guess your translation would make more sense given the early date (and the fact that Poirier shows the 96th Mountain attached to the 17th Rifle Corps during this period)!!!

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup, it's those dratted abbreviations that thwart me.

I actually found Khust on a map-- just over the current Rumanian border in the "tail" of Slovakia seized and still held by the Soviets and now Ukraine.