Red Banner,230613,Commander,BT-7 Tank Scout Platoon,Western Front,Wounds 1946

[Pobeda45]

Tragic Story. (Translated by me)

Name: Gruzdev Vitalij Romanovich
Rank: Leutenant
Place of Service: Commander, BT-7 Tank Reconnaissance Platoon, 20 Army of Western Front, currently unemployed as disabled veteran of Patriotic War 1 Group. (Invalid 1-j Gruppi)
Recommendation for Order of Red Banner of Combat
Birth Year: 1921
Nationality: Ukrainian
Party: no
Participation in War: 26.6.41 to 2.8.41
Wounds or shell shock in Patriotic War: Severe 2.8.41
Enlistment in Red Army since: 9.1939 to 4.1942
Enlisted by: Vitebsk GVK
Previous Awards: none
Home address: Brest, Svoboda Square, 12 apt. 2

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment:
Leutenant Gruzdev V.R., serving as Commander of BT-7 Tank Reconnaissance Platoon, 20 Army of Western Front, actively participated in battles with German Invaders from June 1941 to August 2, 1941. While defending Dnepr crossing to the right of Dorogobuzh was severely wounded. He lost both arms and one eye and is a Disabled Veteran 1 Group. Unemployed due to disability.

For active involvement on the fronts of Patriotic War and severe wounds received, deserving of award of Red Banner of Combat.
26 July 1945

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The registration card says that Vitalij Gruzdev was awarded his Order of Red Banner # 230613 by decree of August 6, 1946. Did it really take a year, or is there a typo for 1946 instead of 1945?

Poor guy, his life was changed so drastically at the age of 20. But I suppose he survived. Sorry for the poor photos.


George

[Sanzotta]

Nice early war citation. :thumbsup

[Pobeda45]

Thanks. The guy had to wait until after the war to be recognized, but yeah amazing that he was involved in the Smolensk Battle.

[CtahhR]

It would be very interesting to hear what happened to this tank commander in later life. It must have been difficult having both arms lost and I don't think a Red Banner on the chest will have served as much solice but it is nice to see that the powers that be were at least acknowledging his great sacrifice and constant loss for the Soviet Union.

[Pobeda45]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

It would be very interesting to hear what happened to this tank commander in later life. It must have been difficult having both arms lost and I don't think a Red Banner on the chest will have served as much solice but it is nice to see that the powers that be were at least acknowledging his great sacrifice and constant loss for the Soviet Union.

No kidding..the USSR was not a great place to spend your life disabled. At least there's some solace in the fact that disabled veterans were a common sight after the war.

George

[Lapa]

Originally Posted by Pobeda45

No kidding..the USSR was not a great place to spend your life disabled...

Are you so sure of that? What are your bases for such a drastic statement?

Just as an example, my wife's grandfather was wounded several times during the war, and lost the use of one leg. From the early 1950's up until he died in 1996, he kept receiving a brand new car every 5 years.

Marc

PS: forgot to mention, he was nowhere near marshal or general level, just a "simple" front-line lieutenant

[Pobeda45]

Lapa, I grew up in the Soviet Union too, but I left in '89. I was very young then of course, but I got a good glimpse. I am just saying, there was hardly wheelchair access anywhere--nor were there even good wheelchairs, with legless veterans frequently pushing themselves on pathetic carts. Same thing with prosthetics, very bad quality. The "invalidka" car for the disabled was a good idea, but it instantly identified the person driving it. The car itself was worse than a Zaporozhets..my opinion of course.

George

[Lapa]

By the way, he got Zaparozhets...

[Pobeda45]

You are right Marc. It could've been worse..I'm glad the state was able to offer some small reward for your wife's grandfather's sacrifice. :thumbsup

Cheers,
George

[Norm Braddock]

A very special award! Thank you for sharing it with us George!:thumbsup