Soviet Seaman 1st Class Vasily Fedorovich Lutsyuk

[Ed_Haynes]

A frustrating, incomplete, undocumented, researched but not fully translated group -- I don't even have his rank or full name, but I am sure some kind person will take pity on the illiterate крепостной крестьянин and help out.

Still, for all the limitations, I think this is an interesting group, one worth sharing.

Edited August 17, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

I am unfamiliar with Naval documents, but I think these are something like an award record card?

Any translation of information harvesting from these ugly images would be appreciated.

[Ed_Haynes]

And.

[Ed_Haynes]

And.

[Ed_Haynes]

And. (I am VERY confused!)

[Ed_Haynes]

OK, the awards.

Red Star #553516.

[Ed_Haynes]

Part 2. Calligraphy fit to drive Mother Theresa to mass murder?

[Ed_Haynes]

Reverse, part 3. (Relevant pieces pasted together.)

[Ed_Haynes]

I have a partial translation/summary/precis.

Comrade Lutsiuk has been fighting the German invaders since the very first days of the Patriotic War. To August 1942, Comrade Lutsiuk served at the __ Torpedo Boat Brigade as the radio operator for Torpedo Boat 73. Here he participated in the defense of Odessa, escorting ships between Odessa and Sebastopol and hunting for enemy submarines. Throughout all operations, Comrade Lutsiuk braved enemy aerial attacks to accomplish his mission. He remained on duty, and maintained radio communication with both the base and other ships.

From the very beginning of the defense of Sebastopol, Comrade Lutsiuk participated in its heroic defense until the very last day; until all of the remaining troops had left the city. Comrade Lutsiuk?s torpedo boat participated in convoy escort operations, transporting foodstuffs to the besieged city, delivering smoke screens under heavy enemy shelling and thus providing a cover for the convoy ships to reach the berths. Comrade Lutsiuk managed to maintain radio communication with stations on land. He also took part in surveillance to track enemy torpedo boats and submarines in the area of operations of our ships. He immediately notified the command of the approaching enemy and provided reliable radio communication. Comrade Lutsiuk participates in detecting mines, dropped by enemy aircraft over the navigation channels.

Following the retreat from Sebastopol, Comrade Lutsiuk and his torpedo boat were assigned to the 2nd Torpedo Boat Brigade. Here, he participated in combat operations in Torpedo Boat 96. As the radio operator for Torpedo Boat 96, Comrade Lutsiuk participated in over ten combat duels with German torpedo boats that were trying to destroy our landing on Malaya Zemlya.

He participated in artillery fire assaults in the port of Anapa, ___, Ozereika and in numerous torpedo boat support operations while also serving as a mine layer. In all of these combat operations Comrade Lutsiuk displayed skill, knowledge and courage.

During the Novorossiysk offensive operation, Comrade Lutsiuk served at the base as radio operator, providing for reliable communication between Headquarters, Torpedo Boat Brigade and the operating torpedo boats. During the liberation of the Tamanskii Peninsula, Comrade Lutsiuk landed at the newly-liberated Utrish Cape in order to provide communications. He performed this task excellently.

Returning to his torpedo boat, Comrade Lutsiuk participated in torpedo boat operations, displaying courage and bravery, providing reliable communications for his torpedo boat commander.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the Ushakov, #12083.

Typed, so "better" (?).

[Ed_Haynes]

Part 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the reverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

And what I have by way of translation:

Comrade Lutsiuk has been a participant in the Patriotic War since June 1941. Serving as a radio operator in Torpedo Boat 73, he was provided escort for ships along the Sebastopol-Odessa route as well as tracked magnetic mines dropped by German aircraft over the Sebastopol Bay navigation channel. He was a participant in the heroic defense of Sevastopol from the start of the fight to its very last days.

Reassigned to the 2nd Torpedo Boat Brigade in the winter of 1942-43, he participated in patrol operations in Tsemesskaya Bay with Torpedo Boat 96. With an Artillery Boat, he participated in shelling the military airfield at Anapa and destroyed 10 Me-110 aircraft. He further shelled Blagoveshenskaya where two artillery ammunition depots were destroyed, and Yuzhnaya Ozereika, where his artillery fire smashed an enemy artillery battery and killed up to a battalion of enemy infantry.

Later, Comrade Lutsiuk landed at the newly-liberated Utrish cape in order to establish communications between Headquarters, Torpedo Boat Brigade and the torpedo boats operating in the Kerch Strait.

In the amphibious assault operations to capture the towns of Sulina and Constanta, he landed with the first marine assault unit as the operational radio operator.

Throughout all operations, Comrade Lutsiuk acted with bravery and courage.

Red Navy Senior Sailor Lutsiuk deserves to be awarded the Nakhimov Medal for his bravery and courage displayed in the fight against the German invaders. [Note: it was converted to Ushakov medal when it went up the chain of command]

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks in advance .

[Ferdinand]

Vasily Fedorovich Lutsyuk was born in 1922 in the Ukraine, joined the navy in 1941 (according to another doc 1940) and was starshy krasnoflotets (Seaman 1st Class) in the Black Sea Fleet. Order of the Red Star # 553516 on 22 Feb 1945, Ushakov Medal # 12083 on 1 May 1946, Defense of Sevastopol in 1943 and Defense of Caucasus in 1945.

[Ed_Haynes]

Vasily Fedorovich Lutsyuk was born in 1922 in the Ukraine, joined the navy in 1941 (according to another doc 1940) and was starshy krasnoflotets (Seaman 1st Class) in the Black Sea Fleet. Order of the Red Star # 553516 on 22 Feb 1945, Ushakov Medal # 12083 on 1 May 1946, Defense of Sevastopol in 1943 and Defense of Caucasus in 1945.

Thanks, Ferdinand. Once again, you are a thread-, research-, and life-saver. Next time I am in the Netherlands, I owe you several rounds!

[Ferdinand]

You're welcome Let's hope someone can decipher the details!

[slava1stclass]

You're welcome Let's hope someone can decipher the details!

Ed,

His naval rating (military occupational specialty) is listed as radio-telegraph operator.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[Paul R]

Another amazing group, Ed.

Now when the medal was changed from the Nakhimov Medal to the Ushakov medal, was this considered to be an upgrade or downgrade?

What orders/medals are missing?

Paul

[Ed_Haynes]

Another amazing group, Ed.

Now when the medal was changed from the Nakhimov Medal to the Ushakov medal, was this considered to be an upgrade or downgrade?

Thanks, Paul.

This was an upgrade, as the Nakhimov was lower. So often we see downgrades, an upgrade is nice to see.

What orders/medals are missing?

Paul

Well, at least a Victory over Germany, but Ferdinand's reading of the messy documents raises other questions. I remain very confused on this "group".

[Paul R]

Hopefully, he will be able to clear things up a bit!! I am definitely envious of this set. The Ushakov is one that I do not have. I should have bought one when it was ONLY 250 dollars... I tremble to guess what they go for now.

[Ed_Haynes]

Hopefully, he will be able to clear things up a bit!! I am definitely envious of this set. The Ushakov is one that I do not have. I should have bought one when it was ONLY 250 dollars... I tremble to guess what they go for now.

Be afraid, Paul. Be very afraid. Especially with these campaign medals and such sexy recommendations.

[order_of_victory]

Another stuning group

Order of Victory

[Christian Zulus]

Dear Ed,

congratulations to that outstanding Navy-NCO-group .

Everything is inside: Uzhakov-, Odessa-, Sevastopol- and Caucasus-Medal .

I myself have a very incomplete Navy-"group" in my collection:

Nachimov-Medal s/n. 2200 + Medals-booklet (awarded to a certain Gnultshinsky) + a spare ribbon for the Nachimov. But the Medal for Valour (with s/n. ) is missing and also the whole rest of the unnumbered medals . Once I will have that "group" researched ...

Best regards

Christian