Soviet Captain of the Guard Druzhchenko Iosif Antonovich

[Kristof]

Dear Friends.

I would like to share with my new research of the military group to Captain of the Guard Druzhchenko Iosif Antonovich.

Once again I would like to ask you gentlemen to help me with translation of this research.

Rick ( koopyetz)will help me to post research and with translation.

[koopyetz]

ARC front

[koopyetz]

ARC back

[koopyetz]

ARC translation

Record card

Order book No. 994935

1. Last name: Druzhchenko

2. First, middle names: Iosif Antonovich

3. Military rank: Guard Captain

4. Sex: Male

5. Year of birth: 1914

6. Place of birth: Simskaya oblast

7. Party membership : member VKP (b) since 1943

8. Education: middle

9. Nationality: Ukrainian

10. In the Red Army : since 6.1941 to 1946

11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied when awarded: 138th Guard Rifle Regiment , 48th Guard Rifle Division, 28th Army , 3rd Belorussian front

12. Current place of service and position: City of Kiev

13. Home address of the awardee: City of Kiev

14. Record of previous awards

Red Star

Patriotic War 2nd class

Patriotic War 2nd class

27 September 1947

[koopyetz]

citation

[koopyetz]

translation

During the combat offensive, Comrade Druzhchenko has shown himself to be a great regiment commander providing timely and high quality information. During the offensive he delivered to headquarters an important German agent .Prior to the offensive Comrade Druzhchenko conducted extensive work ridding the regiment of anti-soviet elements.

Due to his effort ,the regiment during combat did not note any cases of treason or desertion.

For his great merit to his country and regiment providing great assistance against the German-fascist aggressors , Comrade Druzhchenko

Deserves the state award- order ? Patriotic War 2nd class?

Commander 138th Guard Rifle Regiment

Guard Lieutenant Colonel ( signed ) Varpaev

4 August 1944

[koopyetz]

citation

[koopyetz]

Citation translation

Comrade Druzhchenko has been on the front against the German aggressors

in combat,with two years serving in this regiment. During this period of the offensive fighting in East Prussia Comrade Druzhchenko has exposed and detained two German spies and several other individuals who were members of ROA army.

During the offensive in the City of Berlin Comrade Druzhchenko has provided information about defects in combat operations.

Due to Comrade Druzhchenko?s efforts it has been shown that during combat operations there have been no cases of treason or desertion.

While in the City of Berlin he has detained several German Agents along with two transmitters and radio.

For his great merit in strengthening the operational effectiveness of the regiment and assisting in fighting the German aggressors Comrade Druzhchenko deserves state award ? order ?Patriotic War 2nd class?

Commander 138th Guard Rifle Red Banner Regiment

Guard Lieutenant Colonel ( signed ) Varpaev

12 May 1945

[koopyetz]

citation

[koopyetz]

citation translation

Guard Captain I.A. Druzhchenko has been a part of the unit since September 1942 . At his post holding a senior position he has shown great work to discover and expose anti-soviet and hostile elements.

During this period of work he has uncovered within the regiment 24 anti-soviet personnel, one who was a German agent. Comrade Druzhchenko thru systematic leadership has himself searched the populace and other areas and, taken part in the

arrest of German elements.

On 12.08.1943 during the combat offensive and occupation Comrade Druzhchenko searched and uncovered all German elements.

Due to Comrade Druzhchenko actions, not a single case of desertion among the troops was noted. Comrade Druzhchenko also assisted in eliminating gaps during combat operations. Comrade Druzhchenko deserves state award order ? Red Banner?

[Guest Rick Research]

ARC Line 12 shows him employed at the 8th Childrens Sanatorium, but the scan is so small I cannot read his job title. It's some sort of abbreviation, along the lines of a housemaster or something I think. Given his military duties...

Could you post the TOPS of the 3 citations, which will give his job title in the regiment. First citation is as "... a deputy regimental commander...."

[koopyetz]

Rick:

I'm attaching portion of ARC concentrating on line 12.

I dont actually have the top portions of the citations but will see what may come from Kristof.

Thank you for your input . It helps.

Regards

Rick

[Guest Darrell]

.......Prior to the offensive Comrade Druzhchenko conducted extensive work ridding the regiment of anti-soviet elements........

Bet he was one popular dude :rolleyes:

[Eric B]

What Darrell said.

An "internal security" role, but without being an explicit member of the security apparatus. The research coming back at all indicates that he was "just" a Red Army officer. Right? Nothing else in the documentation indicates another position in the political or security services?

[Guest Rick Research]

Nope. STILL can't make anything out of the wretched handwriting and the accursed Sovspeak abbreviations for the job title. Zav. Khozya............ Head House-master, perhaps?

"Nothing else in the documentation indicates another position in the political or security services?"

That's why I'd like to see the tops of the citations giving his actual job title. This is far out of "normal" political commissar responsibility, and seems at too low a troop level to have been an "imbedded" SmerSh type. Likewise, he doesn't seem to have been strictly the regimental intelligence officer, since these citations are strongly counter intelligence/paranoid.

I'm sure the average Soviet regiment in 1944 was just LOADED with anti-Soviet agents.

Popular guy indeed.

The thought of him with power over small children.... :speechless1:

[Kristof]

Nope. STILL can't make anything out of the wretched handwriting and the accursed Sovspeak abbreviations for the job title. Zav. Khozya............ Head House-master, perhaps?

"Nothing else in the documentation indicates another position in the political or security services?"

That's why I'd like to see the tops of the citations giving his actual job title. This is far out of "normal" political commissar responsibility, and seems at too low a troop level to have been an "imbedded" SmerSh type. Likewise, he doesn't seem to have been strictly the regimental intelligence officer, since these citations are strongly counter intelligence/paranoid.

I'm sure the average Soviet regiment in 1944 was just LOADED with anti-Soviet agents.

Popular guy indeed.

The thought of him with power over small children....

Hello Rick

I purchased this group with translation and research. For your information, I am sending you a copy of the translated awards card. I hope this translation gives you more information about this person.

[Guest Rick Research]

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooK

BUT

"Senior Operator" yup, I can see that on the Awards Record Card BUT

I have never-- has ANYBODY?--

seen that in a REGIMENT. The first citation refers to him as a "deputy regimental commander" (in the way that there was a commissar deputy, an infantry deputy, etc etc etc) but I have never seen or heard of a Counter-Intelligence Deputy

in a regiment.

Which is why we STILL need to see what the top of each citation actually refers to him as by specific job title.

I'd expect such... comrades at HIGHER levels-- and ALSO to be designated as SmerSh.

This is very puzzling in a normal infantry regiment.

He would have been treading all over the toes of the normal commissars and making them (as well as the normal military officers of this riddled-with-treason unit) look bad for not catching all those spies who had infiltrated the ranks that he had to find himself.

[Kristof]

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooK

BUT

"Senior Operator" yup, I can see that on the Awards Record Card BUT

I have never-- has ANYBODY?--

seen that in a REGIMENT. The first citation refers to him as a "deputy regimental commander" (in the way that there was a commissar deputy, an infantry deputy, etc etc etc) but I have never seen or heard of a Counter-Intelligence Deputy

in a regiment.

Which is why we STILL need to see what the top of each citation actually refers to him as by specific job title.

I'd expect such... comrades at HIGHER levels-- and ALSO to be designated as SmerSh.

This is very puzzling in a normal infantry regiment.

He would have been treading all over the toes of the normal commissars and making them (as well as the normal military officers of this riddled-with-treason unit) look bad for not catching all those spies who had infiltrated the ranks that he had to find himself.

Hi Rick.

I have only these pieces of research which I have put on the forum. Sorry but I don't have the tops of the citations.

I received those citations from the dealer .

I'm not sure if all this research is correct about this officer. It might pay to do this research again.

Regards

Kristof

[Guest Rick Research]

THAT is not only "interesting" but alarming! Why would the tops of the citations-- verifying the person's identity and unit--NOT be included?????????

[Kristof]

THAT is not only "interesting" but alarming! Why would the tops of the citations-- verifying the person's identity and unit--NOT be included?????????

Rick.

You correct.

I will do the research again.

I have a group and document so will bee ease.

Kristof