Soviet Captain Vladimir Vasilievich Kulishenko

[Ed_Haynes]

And the blessedly simple reverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

The translation.

[Ed_Haynes]

With ten days left in the Second World War on the Eastern Front, while fighting in the streets of Berlin, Captain Kulishenko was again wounded, on the same day he earned his Nevsky, 28 April 1945.

By the time the War ended, his unit had fought from the border in June 1941 to Moscow, down to Stalingrad, through the Ukraine, and finally into the very heart of the Nazi empire! He had been wounded FIVE TIMES, and no doubt proudly wore his Nevsky, two Red Banners and Red Star on his uniform. The final title of his unit is as follows:

?156th Guards Brandenburg, Order of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Artillery Regiment, 77th Guards Chernigovskii, Order of Lenin, Order of Kutuzov, Order of the Red Banner Division.?

With the end of the War, he was demobilized in 1946 and returned home to his mother in the city of Pologi. He was twenty-three years old.

His Berlin certificate.

[Ed_Haynes]

And Victory over Germany.

[Ed_Haynes]

The group is (strangely?) free of the various jubilee and anniversary medals. Maybe Vladimir Vasilevich had enough real things that he didn't need to be bothered with them?

The only (partial) exception is his 1985 OPW1.

[Ed_Haynes]

As there's no service record (so no murky poorly xeroxed photo), there may be more research yet to do, but quite a story emerges anyway. Thanks to all who have helped so far.

Edited August 17, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Ferdinand]

The awards on his Archive Award Card:

Red Star # 76373 - Prikaz of 24 Dec 1942

Red Banner 91783 - Prikaz of 14 Oct 1943

Red Banner 213110 - Prikaz of 7 Apr 1945

Aleksandr Nevsky 31243 - Prikaz of 26 May 1945

Defense of Stalingrad - Ukaz of 22 Dec 1942

Defense of Moscow - Ukaz of 1 May 1944

Capture of Berlin - Ukaz of 9 Jun 1945

Victory over Germany - Ukaz of 9 May 1945

[NavyFCO]

As there's no service recoprd (so no murky xeroxed photo), there may be more research yet to do, but quite a story emerges anyway. Thanks to all who have helped so far.

Oy! Did I forget to send it! Ouch! Sorry..... next box, I promise!!!

[NavyFCO]

Yep, found it.... Will be in your next box with the OTHER missing medal.....

[Paul R]

How do you do it, Ed!! WOW. A very complete and high order grouping there.

Capt. was a low ranking to get the Order of Alexander Nevsky... I thought that this order was reserved for higher ranking officers.

This is one man who truly saw it all!

[Alfred]

Great Group

regards

Andreas

[order_of_victory]

Wow what superb goup

Order of Victory

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Ed,

congratulations - a really fantastic group with tons of history .

For that "jewel-collection" you might have transfered some amount of bucks to Dave's account .

The Kiev-Medal might be at the wrong place, as far, as I know ?

Dear Paul,

Capt. was a low ranking to get the Order of Alexander Nevsky... I thought that this order was reserved for higher ranking officers.

if you look at the history of citations and into the regulations of the Nevsky, you will see, that the Nevsky is THE typical award for commanders of platoons and also of a company. So, the majority of the Nevsky-bearers got their orders for deeds, when they had the rank lieutenant or captain.

Kutuzov & Suvorov (specially the 3rd classes and partly the 2nd classes) had been for higher ranking officers.

Best regards

Christian

[Ed_Haynes]

The Kiev-Medal might be at the wrong place, as far, as I know ?

Thanks, Christian.

Yes, it is loose, never mounted, and I just added it at the end for scanning purposes.

[Guest Rick Research]

His Defense of Kiev was indeed late. Mine are all (by odd coincidence) to KGB personnel, but they got theirs in 1962 just after Khruschev succeeded in creating the medal. So 1967 IS late.

But yours, in 1967, is stamped and signed by the Secretary of the City Political Committee which I don't think is usual-- implying perhaps his status at the time.

I agree, this is probably the single best every-verst-on-foot "there and back again" group I've ever seen.

Over and over again in the citations, initiative, initiative, initiative...

maybe too MUCH of an independent thinker to have been kept on in the post-war army?

I'm assuming after so many wounds and decades that is his war invalid's jubilee OPW1 and not the one generals got. No way to be sure without all the intervening stuff, or a personnel file.

[Bryan]

Having a group like this in my custody would be a dream coming true. A Nevsky group with 2 Red banners from a man who fought from Moscow to Berlin with a stop in Stalingrad!

I hope I'll be able one day to get such thing in my collection!

The story is amazing with the 5 wounds and 4 awards at 23 years old!

Thanks again for sharing your collection with us!

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks for the help and for the kind words. I am just happy to be able to share the tales of these men and women in and out of uniform who did so much to defeat fascism and militarism. Where are their sort today?

[NavyFCO]

With response to Rick's question, he was released into the reserves in August 1949. I unfortunately wrote his bio without having his service history and personnel file which took nearly two years to get from the researcher! Now that I am home, I'll shoot them to Ed...

Dave

[Ed_Haynes]

A truly lovely stack of service records are now in hand (thanks, Dave ), but untranslated. As I hate to take advantage of Rick's squinting skills, I'll see if I can get an "express translation" off-forum (though shall post the "juicy bits" if anyone is interested).

Meanwhile, just a face to go with the group. Does the term "thousand-meter stare" hold any meaning?

Edited September 4, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

And. (We all age, don't we?)

[Guest Rick Research]

And THERE, chirruns, we have the shining evidence of what happens when you wear your hair too long while YOUNG-- you use it all up!!!!!

Service records are very nice and neat-- presumably typed? Post up the two pager that has his postage stamp sized photo on the top left corner of the 2nd page-- that's the Concise Form one.

If you've got Lots & Lots, that means performance reviews, autobiographies etc etc.

[Ed_Haynes]

And THERE, chirruns, we have the shining evidence of what happens when you wear your hair too long while YOUNG-- you use it all up!!!!!

Service records are very nice and neat-- presumably typed? Post up the two pager that has his postage stamp sized photo on the top left corner of the 2nd page-- that's the Concise Form one.

If you've got Lots & Lots, that means performance reviews, autobiographies etc etc.

Sorry, Rick, don't seem to have the concise one. Alas. Just the "long roll" (as they call it "at home").

Shall put up some pieces soonish.

And it is an almost-1-cm file.

[Ed_Haynes]

While I am sensitive to over-extending the generous assistance of fellow forumites, I thought I'd post what I have of his long personnel file (what we in South Asia would call the "long rolls", as opposed to the "short rolls"). Anything that can be salvaged would be appreciated. Some day, I shall need a full translation, but I am (also) running the risk of overloading translator-friends (also).

I'll be cutting the pages into small(er) pieces for easier (?) reading.

[Ed_Haynes]

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[Ed_Haynes]

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