Soviet Guards General Major Vasil'ev

[Digger Doug]

[attachmentid=26346]

Here's the obverse of General Vasiliy Efmovich Vasil'ev's award card. My brief translation is below:

Award Card

Last Name: Vasil'ev

First Name and Patronymic: Vasiliy Efomovich

Military Rank: Guards General Major

Sex : Male

Year of Birth: 1898

Place of Birth: City of Leningrad

Party Membership (From what year): Member since 1918

Education: ___________

Nationality: Russian

In the Red Army since what year: ______ 1917

Place of Service (unit designation) and duty position at the time of award: Commander 138th Rifle Division

Present duty location and duty title: Commander 50th Rifle Division

Awardee's home address: City of Dobrol___

[Digger Doug]

[attachmentid=26348]

Here's the reverse side of his award card:

AWARD................................................NUMBER..............BASIS OF AWARD

1. Order of Labor Red Banner of UzSSR.....526..................(can't read first 2 lines) UzSSR 27.2.33 *

2. Medal XX Years Red Army............................................Ukaz VS. USSR 22.2.38

3. Order of Red Banner............................109196.............4th Ukrainian Front 10.10.44

4. Order of Red Banner............................6346 (2)...........Ukaz VS. USSR 3.11.44

5. Order of Lenin.....................................26269...............Ukaz VS. USSR 28.2.45

6. Order of Red Banner............................198911.............4th Ukrainian Front 22.2.45

7. medal Victory Over Germany.......................................Ukaz VS. USSR 9.5.45

8. Order of Suvorov 2nd Class..................2049................Ukaz Pr(esidium?) VS. USSR 29.6.45

9. Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class...................3114...............Ukaz 18.12.56

10. Order of Red Banner...........................1354 (4)..........Ukaz 15.11.50

* Kutsenko's book on Republican Orders confirms this award to Vasil'ev and indicates he was serving as Regimental Commander SAVO. SAVO = Central Asian Military District

[Digger Doug]

Here's General-Lieutenant Vasilev's citation for his Kutuzov 2nd Class:

[attachmentid=26353]

Here's my cut at his citation. As usual, any additions or corrections to my translation is greatly appreciated:

Comrade Vasil'ev is a thoroughly competent and demanding general. He possesses good organizational abilities.

During the period of fufillment by his troops in the region of ________________ for the liquidation of the counter-revolutionary mutiny in Hungary, General Lieutenant Vasil'ev, leader of the operations group, ensured clear leadership and communication with command that contributed to the fulfillment of the mission.

He deserves to receive the government order Kutuzov Second Class.

Commander in Chief

Forces of the Transcarpathian Military District

General Army

P. (Pavel) Batov

"3" December 1956

While this Kutuzov is the only award in his group I was able to get, I did get copies of most of his personnel file. I'll post some of his other citations and service info as time permits.

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi,

You will find a short bio of his military career here:

http://www.generals.dk/general/Vasilev/Vas...viet_Union.html

Another one of those who wasn't that lucky in 1938.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

[Steen Ammentorp]

Btw. I stand corrected on his year of birth Thank you.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

[Stogieman]

Hi Doug, nice research. How much of his stuff do you have?? Pictures?! Thanks!

[Guest Rick Research]

His education level was: "Vyshee" (higher)

In the Red Army: "s Oktyabrya" (since October) 1917

That isn't a place in Hungary, it's the region "of special Governmental assignments" for the liquidation....

A weird and amazing award!

[Digger Doug]

Here is a bit more info on General Vasil'ev from his long service (27 years, 3 months as of 1944) award of the Order of Lenin:

[attachmentid=39025]

Of particular interest, his record begins in 1917 where he was with the 1st detachment of the Red Guards. He was the Soviet military attache to Afghanistan from 1/31-8/33 during which time, he was awarded the Order of Labor Red Banner from the Uzbek Republic. From 8/33-2/38, he was the chief intelligence officer of the Central Asian Military District (SAVO) in Tashkent. From 2/38 - 9/43, he was imprisoned for reasons yet unknown by me (though we all can guess why). By 1/44, he was the deputy commander of the 66th Guards Rifle Division and by 2/44, he was the commander of the 138th Carpathian Rifle Division. By 1956, he was in Hungary putting an end to their short-lived revolution. Quite a story if only his personnel file was available. Unfortunately, I was only able to get his award card and citations.

If there is any interest, I can post more of his documents. Doug

[Gerd Becker]

Yes, please post more about him.

Very nice What do you have of his group?

Thanks for posting!

Gerd

[Guest Rick Research]

I think "Section 44" (Stat'ya 44) of the Soviet Penal Code is what got him RELEASED as fully rehabilitatd and restored to the WPRA. The closest I could find was Section 43, dealing with parcels and visits for "good behaviour." So that suggests "44" was the release part.

5 1/2 years in the Gulag, 2 years and 3 months into the war and then...

just go onward as if it never happened.