Soviet Grigory Semenovich Didusenko

[Guest Rick Research]

Notice that his 1955 (!) Awards Record Card shows that first Red Star as issued 31 August 1946 (SIC !!!!) though his personnel records confirm it as indeed 1945. He did indeed spend the entire war in the Soviet Far East, only seeing action in those last few weeks against the Japanese.

Glad to see his Lenin was indeed his--wherever it is now-- and awarded on Red Army Day 1955, adding that Ukaz date to our documented serial numbers list. He got that mere months after being assigned to the 184th Guards Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment of Long Range Aviation-- and despite that significant recognition, was discharged in '56.

Now we'll all just sit here and await the complete professional free translation that Dudeman has so kindly volunteered to do on all research posted here from now on.

[RedMaestro]

So is the Lenin a long service or not? I'm still unclear. Red Army Day sounds like something ceremonial rather "real" to me.

Darn, I was worried you would say that about translating. Thanks for you help anyway!

-Alex

[Guest Rick Research]

Oh, it was DEFINITELY a "for something" Lenin. He'd only been in 17 years then.

Secret stuff? A parade flyover?

I'm sure you and everybody else will be thrilled with the speed and skill with which all your free translation needs are met.

[Guest Rick Research]

Well children, it would seem that as always, the breeze blowing through was just the usual hot air. Typical! Once again the downtrodden peasantry must perform all the work themselves!

Additional information (and it sometimes takes me a while back-filling the difficult handwriting bits, what with being 1-eyed and Not Perfect and all) =

Birth date 26 June 1919. Of white collar class background. Middle education--attending until 7th Class in 1934. Then worked in SOMETHING "technical" which I haven't been able to read in either place it is entered, until military call-up

20 November 1938 at Petrovsky (per long personnel file with photo)/Kaganovsky (per wide personnel file no photo) Local Military Commissariat of the city of Kiev.

Attended Krasnodar Military Aviation School 20.11.38 to 11.3.40

Junior Aircrew 164th Aviation Rgt, 1st Reserve Aviation Brifgade, Orlov Military District from 11.3.40

Junior Aircrew 10th Long Range Bomber Aviation Regiment, 33rd Aviation Division, 5th Air Army on a line showing dates 17.6.41 and January 1944 but followed beneath by

"I.d." (no clue, me) fighter bombardier in the same unit 17.6.41

"I.d." and commander of "aerial artillery service" ("aerartsvc") in 442nd Long Range Bomber Aviation Rgt, 88th Av Div, Air Force of the 2nd "K.A." ( ? Red Banner Army?) in Far East Military District, August 1941

Commander "aerial artillery service," 442nd AR, 88th AD, but under 11th Air Army 8.4.43

Squadron Navigator in the same 15.7.43

Aviation Squadron Navigator 442nd AR under 33rd AvDiv, 19th Air Corps in the "KNR" 14.12.45

("KNR" could be--dunno, me--EITHER the CHINESE People's Republic OR the KOREAN People's Republic-- same initials for each. As always, abbreviations like this I did NOT have in college 30+ years ago )

Exactly the same as above with date 26.6.46

Student at courses for the improvement of aviation squadron command navigators, 1st Ryazansky Higher Aviation School 15.2.47

Flight Navigator of 184th Guards "Poltava-Berlin" Bomber Aviation Rgt August 1947

Detachment Navigator in the same 30.3.50

Sqdrn Navigator in the same but the unit now titled 184th Guards Heavy Bomber "Poltava-Berlin" Aviation Rgt of Long Range Aviation 9.3.51

Same of "Military Unit 23415" 2.10.54 (this suggests something classified )

Discharged 17.12.56 to reserves per the usual obscure and unknowable Specific Paragraph.

Lieutenant 11.3.40

Senior Lt 11.7.44

Captain 25.4.48

Major 25.4.52

He could read and write English with a dictionary (the same as my ability with Russian and yet--there's only been 1 complaint!)

Member # 1,338,946 of the CPSU since 1943.

In combat on the Far East Front 9 August to 3 September 1945.

Service outside the borders of the USSR in the "KNR" from December 1945 to January 1947.

Married: wife Varvara Ivanovna Didusenko, born 1921. They had a daughter Valentina born in 1943.

That'll just have to do (as always) for the usual quick FREE squint-through-and-scribble from

your Old Blind Peasant.

[RedMaestro]

Thanks very much Rick!

I have requested the citations for the first Red Star and the Lenin from Nota Bene. I'll post as soon as I get them.

-Alex

[Guest Rick Research]

Aha! I knew the country abbreviated as "KNR" was something I already know... navy Dave far far away put me on the right track

North Korea (Korean Liberation Medal document (1948) was "KNDR."

People's Republic of China was indeed "KNR"-- as here on a Sino-Soviet Friendship Medal document to a Soviet Rear Admiral I have:

So Long Range/Heavy Bomber Captain Didusenko's unit was... helping Mao out in the Chinese civil war.

Been niggling at me and glad to know some of the old brain synapses are still semi-functional.

Also forgot to mention-- when he was heaved out at 18 years of service (no pension) despite being a top-classified navigator and having just received an Order of Lenin... his discharge data adds that he was permitted to wear his military uniform with rank insignia, in retirement. Small "consolation" indeed-- but NOT an automatic privilege.

If you can crop in a closeup of this with better contrast, I believe it is the PROVINCE in China where he served-- but cannot read it as it is here:

[RedMaestro]

More just in! But first, for Rick's request (sorry this took forever)

[RedMaestro]

Citation:

?As a navigator he is well prepared. He flies the Tu-4 in all conditions. He has a total of 2132 fight hours, 1551 during the day. He has flown 1035 hours on the Tu-4, 634 hours in the day. He flew 180 hours in 1954, 85 during the day. He was allowed solo flights by order of _______ battalion 184 (?) on October 31, 1950. He is a flight instructor. During 1954, he complete 13 bombing raids with a score of 4.6 and did 8 photo shootings with a score of 4.6. He set up 25 flight paths with a 4.7 score. He loves to fly. He systematically trains new navigators for mastering flights on the Tu-4 in all conditions.?

Then, I think, recommended for an ORB (?)

[RedMaestro]

page 2

[Guest Rick Research]

Ah. Line 17 says in "PRC on staff of the forces of the Sov. Army."

The reference to unit 184 is "184 BAP." BAP = Bomber Aviation Regiment. The commander submitting the award fuilled that out more as "184th Guards Bomber Aviation Long-range Aviation" (184 Gv BAP DA)

He appears to have been HIGHLY decorated for TEST bombing...

1954... test bombing ...

long range bombing...

ohhhhhh..... things that made Big Mushroom Clouds? :rolleyes:

[RedMaestro]

Really? Wow! That's pretty exciting! But what makes you think that was the case? Was there something in the citation I missed?

Edited February 13, 2009 by RedMaestro

[Guest Rick Research]

PS He was a Navigator 1st Class. So you need the M1950 badge for him:

From what I have seen, this was not a matter of simple personal skill, but the Top Guys were assigned to the Top Units for the Top Assignments.

First strike nukes.

Army Pilot Captain Vidman, same time period but only 3rd Class and Naval Arctic Long Range Bombing 2nd Class for Major Verbitsky:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1066&hl=Vidman

[RedMaestro]

Here is the MZPP ORS citation:

[RedMaestro]

Translation:

As a navigator, he showed devotion to the party of lenin and stalin and has strong morals and ideology. He is highly disciplined with himself and his subordinates, and is highly demanding of those in his command. He loves navigating and has mastered it, and passes on his knowledge to other navigators. He works on improving his own skills. _________________________ In the air he orients himself quickly and accurately. He approaches targets exactly on time. On August 10, 1945, he bombed _____ and executed the mission successfully. On August 15 and 16, 1945, he bombed _____ and ____ and was successful.

The big blank is a sentence that was somehow missed. Also, I'm not sure about the city names. Any help is appreciated, as always!

And Rick, I'm still not sure; what specifically suggests nuclear testing? The part in the OL citation about the bombing run score? Is there something I am missing here?

Thanks!

[Guest Rick Research]

Bombed the city of Chanchun on the night of 10 August and Sanchagoissky"US" (do not know what that is the abbreviation for) and Mudan'pzhan.

His Lenin in 1954 for a reason unrelated to long service, based on his ASSIGNMENT.

[Ferdinand]

The big blank is a sentence that was somehow missed.

He is capable of independently fulfilling combat missions of long-range night aviation.

[RedMaestro]

Thanks for your help, Gentlemen! :cheers: