Red Star,1438180,Platoon Commander,1332nd Zenit Artillery Regiment,Oder

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Here is Red Star #1438180.

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Awarded to Junior Lieutenant Vladimir Mitrofanovich Taranskij on 13th March 1945. He later went on to become and Major and receive his Medal "For Combat Merits" for 10 years service.

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1. Family, Name, Patronym. Taranskij, Vladimir Mitrofanovich
2. Rank. Junior Lieutenant
3. Position and unit. Assistant Commander Platoon, Company Of Krupp-Calibre Machineguns, 1322nd Zenit-Artillery Red Banner Regiment Of Small Calibre Zenit-Artillery, 19th Zenit-Artillery Kramsk Division
Presented For award of the Order "Red Star".
4. Year of birth. 1915
5. Nationality. Ukrainian
6. Party Membership. Non-Partisan.
7. Participation in the Civil War, subsequent military activity in defence of the USSR and Patriotic War /where, when/ Participant in the Patriotic War from January 1945.
8. Has been wounded, contused in Patriotic War. Not had.
9. From which time in Red Army. From October 1941
10. Which Regional Military Commissariat called. Chervol' Regional Military Commissariat, Sumy Oblast.
11. Has received awards (for which distinction). Has not been awarded.

Comrade Taranskij, In the battle to destroy the surrounded garrison in the town of Poznań and the bridgehead on the Oder in the region of Görlitz, showed courage and resourcefulness, skilfully commanding his platoon. 4-2-1945 a group of FW-190s attempted to bombard the positions of our artillery. He ably organised fire, the platoon of Junior Leiutenant Taranskij quickly attacked the enemy aircraft, not allowing them to complete their task.
28-2-1945 a large group of enemy aircraft tried to destroy the bridge over the river Oder in the region of Görlitz. Without delay he opened with sighted machinegun fire, downing an enemy aircraft from its combat mission.
Despite a bomb explosion in the region of the firing positions, the personnel of his platoon, lead by Junior Lieutenant Taranskij, remained in place and continued intensive fire. Personally leading the fire of the machineguns, showing courage and bravery. The third time he has shot down an enemy aircraft. Encouraging bravery and orderliness of his command, the platoon fulfilled its combat mission - the bridge over the river Oder remained unharmed.

Worthy of award of the Governmental award the Order "Red Star".
Commander 1332nd Zenit-Artillery Red Banner Regiment Of Small Calibre Zenit-Artillery Lieutenant-Colonel Reshetnikov
9th March 1945

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Here is an early post-war photograph of the recipient.