For Bravery,2399308,Gun Ranger,76th Separate Guards Destroyer Anti-Tank Section

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Here is #2399308.

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Awarded to Nikolaj Il'ich Chernoivanov.
Some very poor handwriting here.

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1. Family, name and patronym, Chernoivanov, Nikolaj Il'ich
2. Rank, Guards Junior Sergeant
3. Position, Unit, Gun Ranger, 76th Separate Guards Destroyer Anti-Tank Section, 71st Guards Order Of Lenin Red Banner Rifle Division
Presented for governmental award Order "Patriotic War II Class"
4. Year Of Birth, 1915
5, Nationality, Russian
6, Party membership, Non-Partisan
7, Participation in Civil War and subsequent military activities in defence of the USSR and Patriotic War (Where, When) In the Patriotic War from 23rd June 1941 Voronezh Front from 19th October 1943 1st Baltic Front
8, Has had wounds or contusions during the Patriotic War, Wound and contusions in the Patriotic War not had.
9, From which time in the Red Army, Since 1941.
10, To which Regional Military Commissariat called, Kantemirov Regional Military Commissariat, Voronezh Oblast
11, Has been awarded, Medal "For Combat Merits" Order of 71st Guards Rifle Division Number 29/N of 1st August 1943

Comrade Chernoivanov works as a gun ranger in the war with German invaders showing himself a courageous brave revolutionary soldier of the Red Army. During the breakthrough in the region of the village of Orehi he deployed the gun in combat against infantry at point blank range fired at Fritz and enemy transports destroying 2 guns and up to 20 Fritzes, thus helping the advance of our infantry. Whilst crossing the river Western Dvina 24th-25th June under strong enemy artillery fire directly fired with his gun destroying enemy gun emplacements, thus helping the crossing of the river Western Dvina. During the storm of Polotsk 3rd-4th July Comrade Chenoivanov shot at submachinegunners entrenched in houses and destroyed up to 15 Fritzes. For courage, bravery and valour Comrade Chernoivanov is worthy of the governmental award the Order Of Patriotic War II Class.

Commander of the section
Guards Major Romaschko

Concur with awarding the Order "Patriotic War 2 Class"
Commander of artillery 71st Guards Rifle Division
Guards Colonel Seleznev
13th July 1944.

Awarded: Medal "For Bravery"
Comander 71st Guards Rifle Division
Guards Major-General Sivakov
22nd July 1944

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This is the Medal mentioned in his previous citation but not in his Medal Booklet which leads me, in conjunction with the severe downgrade on the other award and lack of recording of the Medal on his record card, to believe that he wasn't issued the first Medal and may have been out of favour for some reason.

Comrade Chernoivanov works as a gun ranger, during the German offensive showed himself to be a decent, courageous, fearless fighter in the defence of the nation. Under enemy mortar and gun fire brought shells and an anti-tank gun. Personally Comrade Chernoivanov from his submachine-gun destroyed up to 20 enemy soldiers and officers, when the Germans walked up to the battery Comrade Chernoivanov with his submachine-gun went forward into the front of the German strike adding to his account. Since this time has sharpened the gun with new fiery attitude.

A "For Combat Merits" also seems a rather low award for these actions. Both seem like Red Stars to me or at very worst a Red Star and "For Bravery". 55 dead, 2 guns destroyed plus the rest isn't really well compensated by a single Medal "For Bravery".

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According to the Divisional journal the attack on Orehi was on 22nd June 1944 and Chernoivanov was responsible for 1/6 of the German casualties inflicted by the Division that day.

(The next day's battle saw another Medal "For Bravery" being awarded to a member of the 71st Guards Rifle Division - http://soviet-awards.com/forum/sovie...-regiment.html)

The river crossing seems to have also been a rather intensive day of battle too.

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It would seem that in Polotsk he was also responsible for 10% of the division's kills.