Soviet Order of the Red Star, Nr. 3545566

[Bill Garvy]

Here's another interesting researched example I received from David Schwind.

Order Card #D-781869

Last Name - Guschin

First Name - Nikolay Ivanovich

Military Rank - Junior Lieutenant

Sex - Male

Year of birth - 1911

Place of birth - Orenburg

Party Membership - Not a member

Education - middle (Associate's degree)

Nationality - Russian

In Soviet Army - October, 1993 to November, 1935, and June, 1941 to December, 1945

Place of Service and Occupation at time award was given - Special Unit

Present Occupation - electrician

Home Address - 22A/6B Akademicheskaya Street, Apartment 4, Moscow

[Bill Garvy]

Order Card, reverse. . .

All Awards & Orders

Order of the Red Star #3545566, January 27, 1958

"Victory over Germany", May 9, 1945

Recorded on February 16, 1958

Moscow

Colonel Chernyshev

Edited June 23, 2007 by Bill Garvy

[Bill Garvy]

Award Card

Name - Guschin, Nikolay Ivanovich

Rank - Junior Lientenant

Occupation - Special Unit Representative, South West Front

Year of Birth - 1911

Nationality - Russian

Party Membership - Not a Member

Activity during World War II - June, 1941 to August, 1941; October 1944 to May, 1945

Any woundings/concussions? Two light wounds in legs

In Soviet Army - October, 1933 to November, 1935; June, 1941 to December, 1945

Recruited from Moscow

Previous Awards - "For Victory Over Germany"

Current Address - 22/6 Akademicheskaya Street, Apartment 4, Moscow

During the operation near Petrovka (near Krivoy Rog, Ukraine) Junior Lieutenant Guschin was captured by the enemy. He was held in Krivoy Rog where he recovered in a local hospital and then was left there to work as a assistant nurse. On February 23, 1944 he was released (liberated) by the Soviet Army.

February to April, 1944, he was checked by Smersh (literally death to spies). After that he started service as a Sniper at the 5th Battalion of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. On August 21, 1944, he was wounded in a leg. From August, 1944 to October, 1944 he spent in the hospital in Odessa. In December, 1945 he retired to reserve.

Since 1953 he is working as an electrician.

April, 1957

Colonel Chernyshev

Edited June 23, 2007 by Bill Garvy

[Bill Garvy]

Reverse of Award Card. . .

[Bill Garvy]

Lieutenant Guschin's well worn Order of the Red Star. . .

[Bill Garvy]

The reverse of his Order of the Red Star. . .

Edited June 23, 2007 by Bill Garvy

[Guest Rick Research]

Oh ho!

"Sredny" education I think comes out to something between junior high school and senior high school level.

I have never seen the title "Plenipotentiary" ("Upolnomochenniye") used before-- and while it is ALWAYS time for alarm bells to ring whenever we see the sinister euphemism "Special," from the citation write up it looks like HIS "Special Unit" must have been in a PENAL battalion at the front. "5th Independent Assault Battalion," indeed quote unquote.

Then having expiated his "guilt," he got to serve as a squad commander in the 32nd Motor Rifles Regiment of the 18th Independent Tank Corps until war's end after his 1944 wound.

Notice that on the Award Record Card his unit is given as Special Unit of the 233rd Rifles Division, while the citation text has it in the 223rd Rifes Division. So much overlapping duplicated paperwork all designed to trip people up... and they STILL made sloppy mistakes. So which division was he REALLY in?

And one wonders (one does) exactly what "Enterprise P/Ya 4218" was in which he was an electrician.

Very very late award...

so had he been "away" for all those moving-right-along-gap years 1946-1953?

The things that come back with research!!!!!!!!!

[Bill Garvy]

I also like the part about giving 150 to 160% in his job.

I wonder if this "late" award was meant to make up for something.

Edited June 23, 2007 by Bill Garvy

[Gerd Becker]

Great Research, Bill, as usual.

Are there any more Regiments/Armies/Fronts mentioned somewhere? Maybe i can solve the riddle about the 223/233 typo. But i need more info, as both were in the 3rd Ukrainian Front in 1944.

Thanks for posting another very nice example

[Bill Garvy]

Thanks for your kind words, Gerd, but the credit goes to David Schwind from whom I purchased this Order of the Red Star and its supporting documentation. I simply had my friend Olga, whose father was a Colonel in the Red Army, supply me with the translation.

All the documentation I have for this award has been posted I'm afraid. . .

[Paul R]

Another great piece of research. I have not seen any before that mention a POW status.