Dzjubenko, Aleksej Zaharovich, Squad Commander, 25th Guards Rifle Regiment

[Tommy]

Record card

Record card

Order booklet nr. 66657/N

1. Last name: Dzyubenko
2. First name and patronymic: Aleksei Zakharovich
3. Military rank: Guards Sergeant Major
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1923
6. Place of birth: Chernigov Oblast, Baturinsky District, City of Osich
7. Party membership (since which year): Member since 1944
8. Education: Incomplete Secondary
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: Since 1941
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position at the time of the award: 6th Guards Rifle Regiment, 25th Guards Rifle Regiment, Communications squad commander
12. Current place of service and position: Leningrad Twice Red Banner Military-Political School of F. Engels
13. Home address of the awardee: Leningrad congressional line? home 1/314.

Record of all awards received:

Names of the orders and medals Their numbers Numbers of the documents Ground of award

Medal For Bravery 779177 A-662080 Order of the 25th Guards Rifle Division nr. 019/N of July 14th 1943
Medal For Bravery 628642 A-338223 Order of the 25th Guards Rifle Division nr. 046/N of October 24th 1943
Order of Glory 3rd Class 25752 A-881298 Order of the 6th Guards Rifle Division nr. 014/N of April 1st 1944
Order of Glory 2nd Class 12132 D-745268 Order of the 13th Army nr. 028/N of February 14th 1945
Order of the Red Star 2119835 Zh-463804 Order of the 27th Rifle Corps nr. 024/N of May 15th 1945
Medal for Victory Over Germany 00005113 Order of the Supreme Soviet 9th May 1945

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):Captain [signed]

March 31st, 1946

[CtahhR]

It's nice to see a linesman get rewarded time after time.


Not quite as "almost" as this chap - http://soviet-awards.com/forum/sovie...ers-glory.html

[Tommy]

And the BM this story stemmed from.

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Hope you enjoy!

Tom

[slava1stclass]

Originally Posted by Tommy

And finally! Recommend for a Glory 1st! Awarded a Red Star... B******s!

Tommy,

I've come across plenty of examples of OGI recommendations upgraded to higher awards as in your case. I've also seen plenty of higher award recommendations downgraded to OGI.

If I had the choice, I'd rather be downgraded from an ORB recommendation to an OGI than upgraded from an OGI to an ORB. The benefits/prestige that are associated with Full Cavalier status far outweigh someone who was awarded an ORB and a OGII and OGIII for example.

As your case illustrates, it was often luck of the draw.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[CtahhR]

What awards one "wants" is open to a great diversity of opinion. If this rather battle hardened soldier just wanted to fade back into "normal" life back on demobilised street not receiving the "glory" would have been preferable.

When a state decides to chose you to throw the limelight of attention upon there is very little you can do, less to prepare.

A wave of "what did you do to get X?" churning up violent experiences isn't as much fun as relaxing into the scenery.

Not as "sexy" for collectors but considerably easier for the veteran.

[Al-muell]

Originally Posted by Tommy

village of Skshelchitse

If I were to guess, I would say it's Skrzelczyce. I have found only one village by that name and it's south of Kielce, so, quite far away from Oder. On the other hand, this citation covers a few offensives, so...


The third citation is wonderful. >>Shouting "Haende Hoch"<<:thumbsup

[Tommy]

Ah cool! Thanks Kamil.

That citation covers 3 months worth of fighting i suppose. Perhaps my sentence should have read, this was awarded for cumulative actions between Skrzelczyce & the River Oder? As it does specifically mention the crossing.

[Al-muell]

Sounds likely - Kielce were liberated on January 15th, so it would fit.

[Tommy]

His first Bravery Medal was for action in July 1943 as part of the Russian counter-offensive against Germanys "Operation Citadel"
The fighting took place near Yasnaya Polyana, 335km north of Kursk. (Tolstoy was born here!)

OrderOf the 25th Guards Rifle Regiment, 6th Guards Rifle Division, 13th Army, Central Front 14the July, 1943, No 19/N, Field Army

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, I award:

The Medal for Courage to:

[…]

3. Chief of the telephone exchange for the 1st Rifle Battalion Guards Sergeant Dzyubenko, for the fact that during the battle under heavy enemy fire from the air and ground restored 40 ruptures to the telephone lines.

[...]

[Tommy]

His second Bravery Medal was awarded for the continued offensive operations of 1943. This time frame would have put the action near the Dnepr crossing.

Order Of the 5th Guards Rifle Regiment, 6th Guards Rifle Division, 17th Guards Rifle Corps24th October 1943, No 46/N, Field Army
On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, I award:

The Medal for Courage to:

[…]

3. Commander of the telephone communications company, Guards Sergeant Dzyubenko for the fact that he, during the offensive battles of 1943 in complicated battlefield conditions and terrain, skilfully commanded the department and provided an uninterrupted telephone connection between the regimental Observation Post and the Observation Post of the 1st infantry battalion.

[…]

Commander of the 25th Guards Rifle Regiment

Hero of the Soviet Union
Guards Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Smirnov/