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Red/Soviet Army Award Groups Award Groups of Red/Soviet Army Personnel of the Great Patriotic War, Cold War and other conflicts.

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Old 11-01-2011, 02:01 PM   #1
medals73
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Prohvatilov, Semen Petrovich, T-34 Company Commander, 5th Guards Tank Division

An interesting researched/documented group.

-- Red Banner -- 428547
-- OPW 1 (1985) -- 2342739
-- OPW 2 -- 2714487
-- Red Star -- 2933147
-- Combat Service Medal -- 3056309

As written up by a previous custodian, summarising the research:

Quote:
He joined the Red Army in February 1934, and trained until October 1934 to become a mechanic-driver on a T-26 tank. In 1935, he commanded his own T-26, and in 1938, he was commissioned as a tank officer. He took command of a tank company in the 29th Light Tank Brigade, and during that time fought in Finland as a T-26 tank company commander.

When the war broke out, he was commanding a heavy tank company in the 43rd Tank Regiment, 22nd Tank Division. Interestingly, even though it was classified as "heavy", the division was only armed with 235 T-26 tanks - the same tank as the "Light Tank Brigade" above!

The Division had the unlucky distinction of being DIRECTLY on the border on 22 June 1941, and when the German artillery barrage that began Operation Barbarossa began, they were attacked while still in their barracks!

Most of the artillery for the division was captured immediately by the attacking Germans of Guderian's 2nd Panzer Group, never having a chance to fire. The infantry dispersed into the Pripet marshes, leaving the tanks to operate on their own. By 1000 on 22 June 1941, the Division had lost 175 tanks, with only 60 remaining operational!

On 19 July 1941, the remnants of the unit were trapped in the Minsk encirclement and were destroyed. Our Lieutenant managed to escape, however, and made it back to Soviet lines. What's the good Soviet thing to do with escaped troops? Send them to the Stalingrad Tank School! Here, he commanded a company of motorized tractors (perhaps for artillery?) and later commanded a company of officer candidates all the way until July 1943.

For two months, he commanded a T-34 tank company in the 2nd Reserve Tank Regiment, and finally took them out into combat on 18 September 1943. Unfortunately, fate would deal it's evil hand again and less than a month later, outside of Poltava, he was heavily wounded on 12 October 1943. Because of the wound, he remained in hospital until March 1944, when he was then transfered to become a student at the Leningrad Highest Officer Tank School. Continuing his education he then transfered to the 1st Officer Tank and Motor Vehicle Training Regiment of the Red Army from October to December 1944.

Why send someone highly trained back out to the front, when you can make him guard the HQ? That's exactly what happened next... He was sent to be the Deputy Battalion Commander in the 201st Tank Brigade. Though the 201st was carried as an active unit on paper, it was in reality a training unit for the Moscow Military District, and it remained east of Moscow until Victory Day in May 1945.

During this time, he qualified for his 10-year For Military Merit medal, which was awarded in March 1945. As you can tell from the tone of the citation, he was THRILLED to be at the unit...

Was assigned to the Brigade as the deputy Tank Battalion Commander on 9 December 1944. At that time, he displayed discipline and knowledge of tactics. However, he now fails to exhibit any initiative in his activities even notwithstanding the low level of discipline in the battalion as well as cases of breaching military discipline by the officers as well as by the NCOs (enlisted). The procedures for standing guard in the battalion, for which he is personally responsible, are not in order.

Morally stable. Has authority with his personnel. Does not require re-training.

Conclusion: With some assistance he will be successful in the deputy Tank Battalion commander position. For the continued service in the Red Army deserves to be awarded 'For Military Merit' Medal.


Though the writing of the citation is relatively adverse (the first adverse one I've ever seen!) my translator says that the tone of the citation isn't that bad, as they put it - if it were truly adverse, our Lieutenant would have been sent to the Gulag instead of given a medal!

Interestingly, he was a participant in the Victory Parade in Moscow [hardbacked red document], as undoubtedly his unit was as "spit and polish" as they came!

Things sped up a little with the start of the War against Japan though and in August 1945 the unit fought against the Japanese for the short battles on the "other" front.

The War ended, but not the career of our unhappy Lieutenant (note that he's been a Junior and Senior Lieutenant since 1938!) and through a unit transfer wound up in the 21st Tank Regiment, who apparently had a bit of pity on him. Two years after the end of the War, they nominated him for a Red Star, which then became a Patriotic War 2nd Class. Interestingly, this is NOT a delayed citation, but an actual citation written well after the end of the War!

Comrade Prokvatilov, since assigned to the position has showed himself as a disciplined, skilled, exacting officer with good initiative. He is serious and conscientious in relation to his official duties, pays much attention the well being and political {position} of the battalion personnel, and supervises maintenance of the unit’s materiel and weapons.

He has fought against the Finnish invaders, in the Patriotic War and war with the Japanese. He repeatedly displayed courage and bravery in combat; his right hip was severely wounded during a bombing in the town of Poltava, when he was assigned as the Tank Company Commander with the 41 Guards Tank Corps.

For his displayed courage and bravery, having been severely wounded in the battle for the Soviet Motherland and having no governmental awards for combat honors, he deserves to be awarded the governmental award – the Order of the Red Star.


I don't know what happened to him following this. By 1955, he was a Major and was in command of a tank battalion in the 42nd Guards Tank Regiment. I would not be surprised if he was retired as a Major in 1958 having put in 20 years commissioned service. He was awarded a Red Star for long service in 1950, and a Red Banner for 20 years in 1954. He never received a long service medal, which he would have received in 1959 had he still been in the service.
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Last edited by medals73; 11-01-2011 at 02:04 PM.
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Old 11-02-2011, 09:36 AM   #2
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Re: Major Semyon P. Prokhvatilov

Just to check his name. All his documents are VERY poorly scribbled.
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Old 11-02-2011, 06:01 PM   #3
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Re: Major Semyon P. Prokhvatilov

It checks out; Semyon Petrovich Prokhvatilov.
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Old 11-02-2011, 07:20 PM   #4
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Re: Major Semyon P. Prokhvatilov

Very different style of translation. I especially like the comment about "Does not require re-training" from what I took to mean political training.

Cool.:thumbsup

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Old 09-22-2012, 09:44 AM   #5
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Re: Major Semjon P. Prohvatilov

Full research now in hand (thanks, Auke!).

The record card:

Quote:
Record card

Order booklet nr. B-692850

1. Last name: Prokhvatilov
2. First name and patronymic: Semyon Petrovich
3. Military rank: Major
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1911
6. Place of birth: City of Chuguyev, Kharkov Oblast
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the Communist Party since 1932
8. Education: Secondary, unfinished
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Since which year in the Soviet Army: Since February 5, 1934
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position at the time of the award: Tank battalion commander in the 42nd Guards Army Heavy Tank Regiment
12. Current place of service and position: Tank battalion commander in the 42nd Guards Army Heavy Tank Regiment
13. Home address of the awardee: City of Yavorov, Lvov Oblast

14. Record of all awards received:

Name of the order or medal Its number Number of its document Ground of award
Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class 714487 Order booklet nr. 692850 Decree of November 6, 1947
Medal for Combat Merit 3056309 Order booklet nr. 692850 Decree of April 30, 1945
Order of the Red Star 2933147 Order booklet nr. 692850 Decree of November 15, 1950
Medal for the Victory over Germany Unnumbered Permanent certificate lost Decree of May 9, 1945
Order of the Red Banner 428547 Order booklet nr. 692850 Decree of November 5, 1954
Medal for the Victory over Japan

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):

Chief of staff of the 42nd Guards Army Heavy Tank Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Kalinin/
January 3, 1955
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Old 09-22-2012, 09:45 AM   #6
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Re: Major Semjon P. Prohvatilov

His OPW 2 (which started out as a Red Star recommendation):

Quote:
Award sheet

[Pencil note: OPW 2nd Class]

All fields to be filled out fully

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Prokhvatilov, Semyon Petrovich
2. Rank: Guards Senior Lieutenant
3. Position and unit: Deputy battalion commander in the 21st Guards Tank Regiment, 5th Guards Tank Division
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
4. Year of birth: 1911
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party
7. Participation in the Civil War and the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR (where and when): The Finnish Campaign from February 1, 1940 through March 13, 1940, on the Central Front from June 22 through July 22, 1941, and on the Transbaikal Front from August 9 through September 3, 1945
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: One severe wound
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since February 1934
10. Drafted by which military commissariat (month, day and year): Drafted on January 28, 1934 by the Military Commissariat of the city of Kharkov
11. Awarded which orders and medals and when: Medal for Combat Merit for long service
12. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

In his current position comrade Prokhvatilov showed himself a disciplined, dutiful, and demanding officer, capable of taking initiative. He devotes himself to his service duties in a serious and conscientious manner and pays a great deal of attention to political and combat training, the men of the battalion, and maintaining and operating the materiel and weaponry.

He took part in the war with the Finnish invaders, the Patriotic War and the war with the Japanese imperialists. In combat he repeatedly displayed bravery and courage. While he was unloading a military train in the city of Poltava, serving as a tank company commander in the 41st Guards Tank Brigade of the 7th Mechanized Corps, he sustained a severe non-perforating shrapnel wound to his right shin.

For displayed bravery and courage, having sustained a severe wound during the fighting for the Soviet motherland and not having received any awards for distinction in combat, he deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 1st Tank Battalion
Guards Captain [signed] /Kudryashov/
August 3, 1947

He deserves the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class.

Commander of the 21st Guards Tank Regiment
Guards Colonel [signed] /Tretyak/
August 4, 1947

He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class.

Temporary commander of the 5th Guards Tank Division
Guards Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Suprun/
August 5, 1947

He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class.

Commander of the 6th Guards Mechanized Army
Lieutenant General of the Tank Forces [signed] /Zhdanov/
August 8, 1947

He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class.

Commander of the Transbaikal Military District
Colonel General [signed] /Koroteyev/
August 28, 1947
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