For Bravery,0105689,Pontooneer,61st Separate Pontoon-Bridging Battalion,Rzhev Salient

[patricko]

Record card

Order booklet nr. 323019

1. Last name: Kovbasinsky
2. First name and patronymic: Pyotr Mikhailovich
3. Military rank: Private
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1895
6. Place of birth: Village of Trebukhov, Brovary Raion, Kiev Oblast
7. Party membership (since which year): Not a member
8. Education: Elementary
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: From 1942 to 1945
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position at the time of the award: Medical service first sergeant in the 7th Motorized Pontoon Bridge Brigade of the Reserve of the High Command, 31st Army
12. Current place of service and position: Chairman of the Peremochkaya Kolkhoz in Trebukhov
13. Home address of the awardee: Village of Trebukhov, Brovary Raion, Kiev Oblast
14. Record of all awards presented:

Medal for Bravery 105689 Temporary certificate nr. 193146 Order of the 31st Army nr. 0758/N of September 19, 1942

Order of the Red Star 1425457 Temporary certificate nr. Zh-182602 Order of the 7th Motorized Pontoon Bridge Brigade of the Reserve of the High Command nr. 24/N of September 14, 1944

Medal for the Defense of Moscow - Permanent certificate nr. Ch-016172 Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of October 4, 1944 [sic]

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee:

Military commissar of the Brovary Raion
Major [signed] / Sologub /
December 6, 1945

[patricko]

Award sheet

Last name, first name and patronymic: Kovbasinsky, Pyotr Mikhailovich
Military rank: Private
Position and unit: Pontoneer in the 61st Independent Pontoon Bridge Battalion
Nominated for: Medal for Combat Merit
1. Year of birth: 1895
2. Nationality: Ukrainian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1941
4. Party affiliation: Not a member
5. Participation in combat (where and when): Participated in the Imperialist War from June 1915 to February 1918 near the city of Vilnius
6. Wounds and contusions received: No
7. Which awards received previously (for which merits): None
8. Drafted by which military commissariat: Military Commissariat of the Brovary Raion, Kiev Oblast
12. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): _______________

Short, concrete description of the personal combat feat or merits:

Despite his old age comrade P.M. Kovbasinsky served as an example during the execution of combat missions, regardless of the combat situation. He particularly distinguished himself on August 20 and 21, 1942 during the construction of a bridge to enable heavy tanks to cross the Vazuza River near the village of Grigorovo (in the vicinity of the city of Zubtsov), where he worked on finishing the tenons for the support beams of the frameworks and for the frameworks themselves.

In 10 hours instead of 16 hours 2 frameworks were completed. He chiseled the tenons for 16 support beams and finished 12 deck elements. Despite the artillery and mortar fire comrade Kovbasinsky didn’t cease his duties for a second.

Comrade Kovbasinsky is a remarkable agitator.

He deserves to be awarded the Medal for Combat Merit.

Commander of the 61st Independent Pontoon Bridge Battalion
Hero of the Soviet Union
Captain [signed] / Usov /

Military commissar
Senior Political Officer [signed] / Merkushev /
August 22, 1942



I recommend he be awarded the Medal for Bravery.

Deputy Commander of the 31st Army
Military Engineer 1st Rank [signed]
August 24, 1942



He deserves the Medal for Bravery.

Commander of the 31st Army
Major General [signed] / Polenov /

Member of the Military Council
Brigade Commissar [signed] / Russkikh /
September 1942

[patricko]

Order

Secret
Copy nr.

[Pencil: “Western Front; October 26, 1942”]

Order

Of the 31st Army

Nr. 0758

September 19, 1942

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for the exemplary accomplishment of combat missions in the struggle with the German invaders and the hereby displayed valor and bravery, I award:

In the 61st Independent Pontoon Bridge Battalion:

The Medal for Bravery to:

[…]

6. Private Pyotr Mikhailovich Kovbasinsky, pontoneer

[…]

Commander of the 31st Army
Major General [signed] / Polenov /

Member of the Military Council
Brigade Commissar [signed] / Russkikh /

Chief of staff of the army
Major General [signed] / Gluzdovsky /

[patricko]

Ковбасинский, Петр Михайлович ' Bravery Medal

[patricko]

Vazuza river (Вазу́за)

Vazuza River - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zubtsov

56°10′N 34°35′E

Zubtsov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Tommy]

Wow,

I know that if a Mortar landed anywhere near me i would run and cry like a child!

No way would i be building a bridge in those conditions, No wonder he finished in 10 hours rather than 16 though, he needed to get out as quickly as he could! :D

Thankyou for sharing :)

Tommy