Red Banner,291633,Machine Gun Commander,44th Guards Rifle Regiment

[Pobeda45]

Hi guys,

I finally got research back for the awards in what I thought was an aviator set. In reality, Alexei Ka****syn was commander of a Mounted Machine Gun Platoon (станковые пулеметы), 44 Guards Rifle Regiment, 15 Guards Rifle Division, 1 Ukrainian Front.
After the war he served in the anti-aircraft defenses, therefore the aviation captain's uniform. He earned a CSM for 10 years' service in the 1950s..

A real hero, men like these won us our victory. Here's the citation for his Red Banner, downgraded from Hero of the Soviet Union. It was earned in critical battles for the bridgehead on the left bank of the Oder. Thanks for reading!

George

------------------------------

Award Citation

1. Last name, name and patronymic : KA****SYN Alexei Mihailovich
2. Rank : Guards Lieutenant
3. Duty: Platoon Commander, Mounted Machinegun Rifle Company, 44 Guards Rifle Regiment, 15 Guards Rifle Kharkiv Order of Lenin Order of Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division.

Recommended for: title "HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION"

4. Birth year: 1924
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: CPS(U) Member since 1943
7. Participation in the Civil War, later combat operations in defense of USSR: In Patriotic War since August 1942, on Fronts: Steppe, 1, 2, and 3 Ukrainian
8. Wounds of Contusions in Patriotic War: Wounded 11.9.43, Wounded 8.2.44, wounded 27.1.45
9. Tenure in Red Army: Since 1942
10. Inducted by: Kuznetsky DMC, Penza Oblast
11. Previous Awards: Order of "Patriotic War 2 Class", 34 Guards Rifle Corps # 023/H from 26.10.44
12. Permanent address: Penza Oblast, Kuznetsky Rajon, Village --rlino.
Mother: Ka****syna Pelageya Ivanovna

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Short, concrete description of personal combat feat or accomplishment:


January 27, 1945 in the neighborhood of Holbendorf village, in battles for the bridgehead on the left bank of river Oder, comrade Ka****syn demonstrated exceptional heroism and steadfastness in combat. When the enemy forces numbering up to a batallion of infantry with support of tanks and armored personnel carriers counterattacked our units with the aim of throwing them beyond the Oder, despite having his platoon bypassed by the enemy from the flank and threatened with full encirclement, comrade Ka****syn placed one machine gun on the left flank, and from another opened heavy fire at the enemy infantry which bypassed his platoon from the right. Personally directing fire, [he] personally destroyed up to a company of Hitlerites and an automobile. In this battle lasting 3 hours, comrade Ka****syn repelled 3 powerful counterattacks from the Germans. Repelling the second counterattack, comrade Ka****syn was wounded, but overcoming pain continued to personally fire at the enemy, repelling another counterattack, and remained at the machine gun until full repelling of counterattacks of Germans in this battle.

Owing to the exceptional steadfastness and courage of comrade Ka****syn, the counterattacks of Germans were repelled and the bridgehead on the left bank of Oder was held.

For courage and steadfastness in battles for the Motherland, dedication, he is deserving of the title "HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION."

Commander of 44 Guards Rifle Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel GUTSALYUK

29.1.45

Deserving of conferrment of title HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION

Commander of 15 Guards Rifle Kharkiv Order of Lenin Order of Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division Guards Major General CHIRKOV

5 February 1945

Deserving of award "Red Banner"
Commander -- Rifle Corps
General Major --

Conclusion of Army Military Council

(typed) Award Order of the Red Banner
Commander of 5 Guards Army
Guards Colonel General Zhadov

(penciled in) Deserving of conferrment of title Hero of the Soviet Union
Member of Army Military Council
Guards Major General A. Krivulin

6 April 1945

By the Order to Troops of the 1st Ukrainian Front
from 9.6.45 awarded Order of the Red Banner
Chief of 3d Dept -- 1UF --

July 19 1945