For Bravery,3143715,Pilot,3rd Squadron,457th Near-Range Bombardment Aviation Regiment

[CtahhR]

Here is a quartet of Medals, indicating service against Japan and continued service.

Out of the order of precedence but maybe the recipient's preference, keeping the long service Medals together.

The "For Bravery" isn't a shovel either.....

[CtahhR]

Awarded to Evgenij Vasil'evich Grigor'ev.

[CtahhR]

1. Family, name and patronym, Grigor'ev, Evgenij Vasil'evich
2. Rank, Junior Lieutenant
3. Position, Unit, Pilot, 3rd Squadron, 457th Near-Range Bombardment Aviation Regiment
Presented for Medal "For Bravery"
4. Year Of Birth, 1923
5, Nationality, Ukrainian
6, Party membership, Member of VLKSM 1944
7, Participation in Civil War and subsequent military activities in defence of the USSR and Patriotic War (Where, When) Patriotic War in the west, Trans-Baikal Front from 9th August 1945
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, Volodarsk Regional Military Commissariat, Stalinsk Oblast
11, Has been awarded, Not awarded

For the time staying in the regiment in a short time was able to well master the plane PE-2, as a pilot well prepared, piloting technique good, flies confidently, in flights has stamina, flight lapse not had, disciplined, respected amongst his personnel. In the period of combat actions to crush the Japanese invaders, for combat actions was excellently prepared.

Conclusion: Worthy of awarding of the governmental award Medal "For Bravery".

Commander Of The 3rd Squadron, 457th Near-Range Bombardment Aviation Regiment Captain Parmuhin

Worthy of awarding of the governmental award Medal "For Bravery".
Commander Of The 457th Near-Range Bombardment Aviation Regiment Lieutenant-Colonel Nazolin
26th August 1945

[CtahhR]

Another award missing from the group.

I find an award of the Medal "For Bravery" a rather lowly award to a pilot. Pilots are usually seen as being caked in screwbacks and Hero Stars.

Strangely quite a few aviation related awards have thrown themselves towards me recently. I'm a bit biased against the Air Force as I'm more of a "conventionalist" being from a Naval family, although my own preference is army (it's all about cold steel for me). As an "Islander" I suppose I'll have to slowly allow the new flying machines to warm to me, just as I have with those "land ships" or "tractors".

Next up will be an Order to a Naval Air Fleet serviceman. I suppose that's a compromise.

[Rogi]

This may answer your question, (or at least give a little to ponder)

Since I'm addicted to the Japanese Front, and specifically pilots :D I've seen that Medals for Bravery were more commonly appearing for pilots during the Japanese Front operations.

The reason being is I believe (my own opinion) to thin out awarding the Order of the Red Star, as a lot of pilots ended up doing ground support (strafing etc) and a lot of heroic deeds were done on this Front by other members of the forces as well.

[CtahhR]

I think on paper (and possibly made out of paper) the Japanese Air Force in the Manchuria theatre was c1430 aircraft so going by the numbers it shouldn't have been so much of a push over that the pilot's actions should have been seen in such poor light. The Soviet Air Forces did outnumber Imperial Japanese aircraft by about 3-1 but the Japanese had also had 13 years to prepare their anti-aircraft defence (morale and materiel is another issue though).

Maybe the powers that be were saving the Red Stars for long service - like the one missing from this group.

It's just a shame the citation doesn't mention any targets.

I too prefer the awards for actions against the Japanese over the Finns, Germans, Romanians etc. Just prefer them to those with their feet firmly on the ground (or a deck). Price was right so absolutely no complaints.

[CtahhR]

Here is a photograph of the recipient.