Researching Red Army/Navy Units

[desantnik]

I have a Caucasus medal document awarded to a master sergeant dated FEB 45 and signed by an aviator HSU Korzunov. The stamp is largely illegible, but I can make out something connected to the Black Sea Fleet.

My question is this - what unit is 13 PASD?

At first glance, this would be the 13 Rifle Division with the "P" and "A" being honorifics of some sort, but it's not that easy.

First, the 13 Rifle Division was nowhere around the Black Sea area and the division has no honorific titles.

The "S" looks like it was added as an afterthought, so I thought since the Hero signing it was an aviator, maybe it's the 13 PAD and the "S" is an honorific like "Sevastopol" or something. I then guessed the "PAD" could be "pikiruyushchaya aviatsiya diviziya" or "dive-bombing aviation division", but I can't find any such designation in any Soviet order of battle.

"AD" and "SD" are common abbreviations for "aviation division" and "rifle division" respectively, but "P" doesn't show up very often.

ANY IDEAS?

[desantnik]

I thought of 13 Cannon Artillery Division (PAD), but it's not that either.

[slava1stclass]

I have a Caucasus medal document awarded to a master sergeant dated FEB 45 and signed by an aviator HSU Korzunov. The stamp is largely illegible, but I can make out something connected to the Black Sea Fleet.

My question is this - what unit is 13 PASD?

At first glance, this would be the 13 Rifle Division with the "P" and "A" being honorifics of some sort, but it's not that easy.

First, the 13 Rifle Division was nowhere around the Black Sea area and the division has no honorific titles.

The "S" looks like it was added as an afterthought, so I thought since the Hero signing it was an aviator, maybe it's the 13 PAD and the "S" is an honorific like "Sevastopol" or something. I then guessed the "PAD" could be "pikiruyushchaya aviatsiya diviziya" or "dive-bombing aviation division", but I can't find any such designation in any Soviet order of battle.

"AD" and "SD" are common abbreviations for "aviation division" and "rifle division" respectively, but "P" doesn't show up very often.

ANY IDEAS?

desantnik,

ПАСД – полевой артиллерийский склад дивизии. Note the following related ПАСД reference: "Мобилизован 26.06.41г. Служил в 185 ПАСД 1319СП."

Regards,

slava1stclass

[Norm Braddock]

Gentlemen,

1. 1939-Kirovohrad = Bootcamp
2. 1939-Poltava-advanced training 25th Reserve Tank Regiment
3. 1940-Besserabia
4. Early 1941-Bessarabia ???
5. GPW start-Southwestern Front with Timoshenko

Regarding the start of the war, fight under Timoshenko at Kishinev then eventually captured around Kanev in 41 (?).

By now, my theory is that the 25th Reserve Tank Regiment was absorbed by a larger unit. There is no mention of it anywhere. If one was a tankist, which units would be associated with the above? I would be happy even to know the names of the armies, etc.

Correct me if I am wrong pls but during the battles of Uman and Kiev in 41, the Germans pushed driving a wedge south of Kiev and north of Uman. This would likely correspond to being captured at Kanev???

Would anyone out there know of the patriotic song that Timoshenko's men sang with his name in it?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!:thumbsup

How to get high blood pressure-try to distinguish between tank army, tank division, tank corp, tank regiment, tank brigade...........................:confused:

Cnacubo!:thumbsup

[desantnik]

Thank you, a useful contribution! That is a perfect fit and the depot explains why it's not in combat orders of battle.

I guess the aviator Hero signator was given some kind of garrison command and that explains why an aviator was signing off on artillery supply and support organizations.

[Norm Braddock]

Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlohrad in 41-huge amount of Red Army mobilizing. I've tried finding something on the internet with no avail. Could someone pls help me to find out what units,division or army were there at this time?

Thank you,

N

[desantnik]

Norm, I don't think you'll have a lot of luck finding something on a reserve unit.

I've seen plenty of IDs of guys assigned to reserve rifle units and they spent the entire war far from the front assigned to these skeleton units, presumably awaiting sufficiently trained personnel and/or equipment.

Since reserve units weren't assigned to fronts, they usually don't show up in Soviet orders of battle, but it can't hurt to ask...

[Norm Braddock]

I have come to the realization that the 25th Reserve Tank Regiment became part of a larger force which was named something else.

He said in the summer of 41, there was a HUGE mobilization of Red Army troops at Pavlohrad near Dnipropetrovsk. Furthermore, he said that the Germans hammered them hard at Bila Tservka and later they were encircled at Kanev.

I'd just like to know WHO was mobilized at the Pavlohrad,ie., which Army, which division, etc. if possible. It appears as if the gap is narrowing about the locations.

Frustrating for me yes-limited resourses and Wikipedia doesnt always cut it.:mad: However, with 3 words you made a direct hit with "Part II" and hopefully somebody in the forum could add to this to make it more clear. Sometimes even one tip can make all the difference. Plus the advances to date in "Part I" have all been due to you.:thumbsup

Thank you and Brian very very much for your efforts to date!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup

N

[Norm Braddock]

From 1942 OOB site (thanks Brian), the southwestern front was comprised of the 6th Army, 21st Army, 38th Army and 40th Army.

1st Ukrainian Front in 43 and 44 had the 38th Army in it.

Does anyone have a map showing the position of the 38th Army in 41? Was this Army situated at Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, etc. in 41?

Thanks,

N

[desantnik]

Norm, I would recommend John Erickson's The Road to Stalingrad. It is a good, detailed account of the German invasion.

Viktor Suvorov also wrote some extremely interesting books with a hypothesis that Stalin was preparing to invade Europe, but Hitler beat him to the punch by 2-3 weeks.

This would explain the massive pre-war defense buildup, Soviet forward positioning of troops, etc. Great anecdotal evidence, but I think the academic world has castigated him.

The Soviets didn't like advertising the early war period or the Bessarabian occupation... When I get a chance I'll look at some of the maps I've got.