Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR no.299

[Mikael]

Hi,

I have been researching the VVS during WWII, and part of that has led me to research awards and decorations given to VVS personnel.

I found this translated document (I forget where, but I copied it to a text file) which is dated as 19th August 1941. It describes the criteria for which VVS personnel would be awarded decorations for service during WWII. The only problem is that the document does not give the names of the decorations, but simply says "the pilot is awarded with the decoration" or "is awarded the second decoration" and so on. What I would like to know is what these decorations would be.

Also, I'm not entirely sure this is a genuine document

Here is the text of the document:

Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR
No.299 of 19 August 1941.

In order to encourage and reward the flight personnel of the Red Army Air Force in the fight against German Fascism, I ordain the following order of nominating the flyers, commanders and commissars:

I.
A. Fighters.

1. For each shot-down enemy aircraft - bonus 1,000 Roubles.
2. Additionally to the money bonus, the fighter pilot is awarded
- Decoration from the Government for 3 kills;
- The second decoration for the next 3 kills;
- The Hero of the Soviet Union for 10 kills.
3. For successful attacks on ground targets the flyers are awarded as follows:
- For 5 combat missions with bonus of 1,500 Roubles;
- For 15 missions the pilot of the fighter is awarded with the decoration from the Government and bonus of 2,000 Roubles;
- For 25 missions the pilot is awarded with the second decoration and bonus of 3,000 Roubles;
- For 40 missions the pilot of fighter is awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union and bonus of 5,000 Roubles.
In all cases the results and effectiveness must be confirmed by the commanders of the ground troops or by reconnaissance.
4. For the destruction of the enemy's aircraft on the ground fighter pilots are awarded as follows:

- For 4 missions on the attack of airfields the pilot is awarded 1,500 Roubles;
- For 10 missions at the daytime or 5 missions at nighttime the pilot is awarded the decoration and bonus of 2,000 Roubles;
- For 20 missions in daytime or 10 missions in nighttime the pilot is awarded the second decoration and bonus of 3,000 Roubles;
- For 35 missions in daytime or 20 missions in nighttime the pilot is awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union and bonus of 5,000 Roubles.
The results of actions against the enemy's airfields must be confirmed by photographs or reconnaissance.
The pilot, who rammed the aircraft of the enemy, is also awarded the decoration.
The number of shot-down aircraft is determined in each specific case by witnessing of the pilot at the place of crashing aircraft or by determining the place of the crash of the aircraft by the commander of the air regiment.
B. Ground attack and tactical bombers.

1. For 10 missions at the daytime or 5 missions at the nighttime for bombing and destruction of objects each crewmember is awarded with the decoration and bonus of 1,000 Roubles.
2. For 20 missions at the daytime or 10 missions at the nighttime for bombing and destruction of objects each crewmember is awarded with the second decoration and bonus of 2,000 Roubles.
3. For 35 missions at the daytime or 20 missions at the nighttime at bombing and destruction of objects each crewmember is awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union and bonus of 3,000 Roubles.
In all cases the results must be confirmed by the photos taken during the raid or by the reco photos in 3-4 Hours after the raid.
4. Independ of the number of carried out missions, the pilot, navigator or gunner, who personally shot down an enemy aircraft is awarded with:
- Bonus of 1,000 Roubles for 1 aircraft;
- The decoration and bonus of 1,500 Roubles for 2 aircraft;
- The second nomination and bonus of 2,000 Roubles for 5 aircraft;
- The Hero of the Soviet Union and bonus 5,000 Roubles for 8 aircraft.
C. Long-range and heavy bombers.

1. For raids on the industrial and defense targets the crews are awarded as follows:
- For each successful bombing each crewmember receives 500 Roubles;
- For 5 successful raids each crewmember receives a decoration additional to the bonus;
- For 8 successful raids additional to the bonus each crewmember is bestowed with the second decoration;
- For 12 successful raids each crewmember is awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union and bonus;

2. For the successful action in the tactical rear of the enemy the crews of the long-ranged and heavy bombers are awarded in the same order as the crews of the close-support and ground-attack aviation.
3. For the raids on the political centre (capital city):
- For each raid each crewmember receive 2,000 Roubles;
- For 3 successful raids each crewmember is bestowed with the decoration;
- For 5 successful raids each crewmember is awarded with the second decoration;
- For 10 successful raids each crewmember is awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union.
D. For the reconnaissance missions:

- For 10 missions at the daytime or 5 night missions each crewmember is awarded with the decoration and 1,000 Roubles;
- For 20 missions at the daytime or 10 night missions each crewmember is awarded with the second decoration and 2,000 Roubles;
- For 40 missions at the daytime or 15 night missions each crewmember is awarded with the Hero of the Soviet Union and 3,000 Roubles.
In all cases the results must be confirmed by aerial photos or by reports from other crews, flying to destroy the found objects, or confirmation by other crews.

II.
Nomination of Red Army AF units and commanders.
Commanders of front Air forces honour air regiments and squadrons with State decorations on the basis of results combined with minimal losses of both personnel and materiel.
Commanders and commissars of regiments and squadrons are nominated if:
A. Fighters.
Squadron leader and commissar are awarded membership of Order of Lenin, if their squadron destroyed not less than 15 enemy aircraft with loss of no more than 3 of their own aircraft.
Regiment commander and commissar are awarded membership of Order of Lenin, if their regiment destroyed not less than 30 enemy aircraft with loss of no more than 5 of their own aircraft.
B. Ground attack and tactical bombers.

Squadron leader and commissar are awarded State decoration, if their squadron fulfilled not less than 100 missions with loss of no more than 3 of their own aircraft.
Regiment commander and commissar are awarded membership of Order of Lenin, if their regiment fulfilled not less than 250 missions with loss of no more than 6 of their own aircraft.
C. Long range and heavy bombers.

Squadron leader and commissar are awarded membership of Order of Lenin, if their squadron fulfilled not less than 50 bombing raids with loss of no more than 2 of their own aircraft.
Regiment commander and commissar are awarded membership of Order of Lenin, if their regiment fulfilled not less than 150 bombing raids with loss of no more than 5 of their own aircraft.
D. Reconnaissance units.

Commissar and squadron leader of squadron performing not less than 100 short-range missions or not less than 50 long-range missions, with loss of not more than 3 of their own aircraft, are awarded membership of the Order of Lenin.

III.
Rewards for saving materiel and aircraft.
Both flight and ground personnel are awarded money bonuses for preserving materiel and for accident-free flights, as follows:
- Pilots of any rank and class for each 100 flights without accident, excluding training, are paid 5,000 Roubles. The loss of orientation in flight prevents award.
- Ground personnel receives 3,000 Roubles for each 100 flights without breakdowns.
- Engineer-officers receive 25 per cent from total bonus sum paid to the technical personnel.
- For each aircraft repaired to high standards, personnel of mobile repair shops each receives 500 Roubles per plane.
- For repair of more than 50 aircraft, personnel of mobile repair shops receive a State decoration.

IV.
Prevention of sabotage.
Commanders and commissars of divisions are to investigate in detail each case of crash landing and other accidents leading to damage to aircraft.
If crash landing or other accident occurred without obvious or reasonable explanation, persons guilty are subject to court martial as deserters.
The present order is in force from August 20, 1941.
People's Commissar of Defense J.V. Stalin

[Taz]

Hi Mikael,
First of all welcome to the forum. :)
This is indeed an interesting text, it can be found on the PKKA-CA site under this address :

http://pkka.narod.ru/air1.htm

and also here:

http://my.tele2.ee/airacesww2/airace...cles/order.htm

I don't think there is any reason to query if this is an original doc or not it seems plausible.
As you can see some of the "Bonuses" were just monetary awards and when the higher targets were reached the Pilots etc recived the HSU.
The state decorations in between were most likely the awarding of the Red Banner.

Eddie.

[Mikael]

Taz, thanks for the reply.

So, normally in the VVS, pilots and aircrew would receive an Order of the Red Banner for their first 3 kills, or 5 successful bombing raids, and a second ORB, and then the HSU where it is mentioned? Would that be standard?

What I am also attempting to research is under what circumstances would other awards be won by VVS personnel, such as Order of the Red Star, and the Order of Glory, and Order of the Patriotic War, and so on. I kind of know what it took for army personnel to win these decorations, but VVS personnel(specifically pilots and aircrew) I assume wouldn't really have the oppurtunity to scout out enemy positions, blow up bridges, and single handed kill 20-odd germans in hand to hand combat to be awarded these decorations.

Anyone know any details about that sort of stuff?

[Taz]

Mikael,
On the main page are articles by Henry Sakaida his four part series on the four recipients of the Hero of the Soviet Union who are also holders of a cavaliers group of the Order of Glory includes Ivan Grigorevich Drachenko 140th Guards Ground Attack Air Regiment, maybe you will find it interesting reading.
The Order of the Red Banner would be the most likely award meant in my opinion.

http://www.soviet-awards.com/digest/...drachenko1.htm

Eddie.

[Mikael]

Thanks Taz, looks like good reading!!

[Mikael]

I'd just like to say as well, that the IL-2 Sturmovik was not a dive bomber. It was a ground attack plane. Russian aircraft such as the Pe-2 were classed as dive bombers. Russian military doctrine at the time of the GPW called for direct support of ground forces from the air, and an assault aircraft was decided to be the best suited for this role. Although, to be fair, the IL-2 was utilized in the dive bomber role, but it wasn't very well suited to that sort of tactic.