Mondvor

His final award - Badge of Honor. Obverse.

Reverse side of award card.

Here is an award card. From this card we can see that he retired from Air Force on July 1946 and immediately started to work as a Head of Military Department in Regional Communist Party Committee in the region of Sumi (Ukraine). Later on this position he was awarded with the Badge of Honor. I bought his set in Kiev from the local dealer, who came from Sumi region. Apparently he obtained all awards from the family of the cavalier after his death.

Jubilee...

Another.

Some documents for his medals.

Second page with Kuzovenkov's name.

Military order of the Commander of 1st Belorussian front about Kuzovenkov's Nevsky. Introductory page.

Other side of Nevsky's citation.

Award citation for Nevsky Name: Kuzovenkov Nikolaj Pavlovich Military Rank: Colonel. Position: Assistant commander of 282nd Fighter Gomel Red Banner Air Division Born: 1905, Chelyabinsk region Nationality: Russian Party membership: member of Communist Party since 1924, Party Membersip ID # 2669879 Participation in war: in Great Patriotic War since August 1943 on Central Front, since October 1943 on 1st Belorussian Front Wounds or contusions: none In Red Army: since December 1932, enlisted by Chelyabinsk District Military Registration Office. Previous awards: GPW 1st class on September 5, 1944 and Military Merit medal on November 11, 1944. Home address: Field Army Post Office 23313. Wife ? Kuzovenkova Evdokiya Petrovna, lives in the city of Tambov. Short description of merits: Colonel Kuzovenkov participates in the war since August 25th, 1943. On September 1944 he was awarded with GPW 1st class for successful transfer of military aircrafts from Saratov Air Factory # 292 to front line airfields. For a long service in Red Army he was awarded Military Merit medal. After receiving last award Colonel Kuzovenkov increased his efforts in training and educating of young pilots and preparing them for real battles. While visiting front line observation points, he compared the tactics of our units with enemy tactics and later discussed it with the pilots, helping them to be prepared for future actions. During the period of intense battles, when pilots made two sorties a day, comrade Kuzovenkov always was present at the airfield and personally guided the missions of his division?s regiments. Despite his declining years and poor state of health he personally carried out four military sorties in Warsaw-Lodz and Berlin operations in which his fighters provided the cover for ground-strike planes. From September 1944 to May 1945 division units performed 6255 military sorties and shot down 77 enemy airplanes. The successful actions of division units were mentioned by State Government. 127th Air Regiment was awarded with Red Banner order and received honorary title ?Warsaw?, 774th Air Regiment was awarded with Suvorov 3rd class. The 282nd Fighter Air Division itself was awarded with Red Banner order. For all these actions Kuzovenkov deserves a state award - order of Nevsky. Commander of 282nd Fighter Gomel Red Banner Air Division Guards Colonel Berkal, May 6, 1945. Approved by Commander of 16th Air Army General-Colonel Rudenko on May 18, 1945.

Reverse.

Kuzovenkov's third award - Nevsky. Obverse.

Other side of MM citation with a description of his career.

Here is a citation for his long-service Military Merit. Not very interesting, but on the other side is a description of his pre-war career in Red Army. December 1932 ? Instructor of Political Department of 252nd Air Brigade. February 1934 ? Political Leader Assistant of Air Squadron in 252nd Air Brigade. January 1935 ? Cadet in Kacha School of Military Pilots. July 1935 - Political Leader Assistant of Air Squadron in 214th Air Brigade. July 1936 ? Assistant of the Head of Political Department of 40th Air Brigade. July 1937 ? Political Commissar of 114th Air Brigade. January 1938 ? Student of Higher Military Political Courses. December 1938 - Political Commissar of 34th Independent High-Speed Bomber Air Regiment. November 1940 ? Deputy Commander and Political Commissar of Troitsk Military Pilot School. December 1941 - Deputy Commander and Political Commissar of 4th Reserve Air Brigade. August 1943 - Assistant commander of 282nd Fighter Gomel Air Division.

Reverse.

Kuzovenkov's second award - long service Military Merit. Obverse.

Military order of the Commander of 1st Belorussian front about Kuzovenkov's GPW 1st class.

Second page of GPW citation.

Award citation for GPW 1st class Name: Kuzovenkov Nikolaj Pavlovich Military Rank: Colonel. Position: Assistant commander of 282nd Fighter Gomel Air Division Born: 1905, Chelyabinsk region Nationality: Russian Party membership: member of Communist Party since 1924, Party Membersip ID # 2669879 Participation in war: in Great Patriotic War since August 1943 on Central Front, since October 1943 on 1st Belorussian Front Wounds or contusions: none In Red Army: since December 1932, enlisted by Chelyabinsk District Military Registration Office. Previous awards: not awarded before Home address: Field Army Post Office 23313. Wife ? Kuzovenkova Evdokiya Petrovna, lives in the city of Tambov. Short description of merits: Colonel Kuzovenkov participates in the war since August 25th, 1943. Over the period of his work at the present position he made a lot for teaching and training of young pilots. Many times he went to the front lines to observe the actions of our aircrafts and to study the tactics of enemy air forces. After that he usually arranged the meetings with our pilots to discuss pros and cons of current air battles. Comrade Kuzovenkov arranged and personally led the flight of 25 new fighters Yak-1 from airplane factory in Saratov to front line airfield Gorodnya on October 23, 1945. Despite bad weather conditions, this flight was performed without any accidents. Similar flight was arranged by Kuzovenkov on March 1944, when 30 fighters were transferred to the front line airfield Uvarovichi. Colonel Kuzovenkov inspired young pilots by his own example in the Bobruisk and Lyblin assault operations. While he was on a position of assistant commander, the units of his division performed 2454 military sorties and shot down 32 enemy airplanes. Despite his declining years (at this time he was around 40, which is unusual for fighter pilot, average fighter was 22 to 25 years old - AK) and poor state of health he personally carried out two military sorties in Bobruisk and Lublin operations. For all these actions he deserves a state award - order of GRW 1st class. Commander of 282nd Fighter Gomel Air Division Colonel Berkal, July 28, 1944. Downgraded to GPW 2nd class by Commander of 6th mixed Air Corps Colonel Borisenko on July 29, 1944. Upgraded again to GPW 1st class by Commander of 6th Air Army General-Lieutenant Polinin on September 3, 1944.

Reverse.

His first award - GPW 1st class. Obverse.

Order book, second page.

Strange, there was no activity in this section for several days I finally got my access to this forum restored and now I can download some of my stuff. Here is a small group belonged to Air Force Colonel Kuzovenkov. Order book, first page.

I guess that any good discussion could be productive. Christian and RedThreat are familiar with the history of Great Patriotic War and this is just excellent. More knowledgeable people we have on the forum, more interesting this forum would be. Of course, this all true only in a case of polite behaviour and gentlemen manners As about Nevsky and "stupid behavior of Army commander", well, I think you understand that it was ironic statement. But I truly believe that under normal conditions no Army or Corps commander would recommend commander of the division to Nevsky. RedThreat found one case out of app. 41.000 Nevsky's given to individuals. And still this case is not absolutely clear to me. Information from the article he pointed to is based on five different sources of literature. And they, in turn, based on memoirs of their authors. Memoirs, sometimes, can be incorrect. The only argument in a scientific discussion is a document, for example citation or award card. It is just my opinion, maybe I'm wrong. And again about this Nevsky to Afanasiev. We should not exclude another possibility. RedThreat, I see that you are familiar with history of GRW. Do you remember what happened to Shtemenko and why he got Suvorov 2nd class instead of 1st class? With respect to everyone, Andrew.

To RedThreat. You posted several links to Russian web site. I can read Russian because this is my native language. But not all forum members can do the same. So you should provide complete English translation of the articles. Otherwise this is not fair concerning forum members who do not speak Russian. Do you agree with me?