For Bravery,0170734,Mortar Commander,229th Rifle Brigade

[Dat Nguyen]

Greetings to All,

Last week I got to spend a day in Sarajevo. I com here on an off, but rarely get to spend any time on the ground. Here is a unique Bravery Medal that I purchased. Looks like the previous owner converted to a different ribbon. The soldering of the new attachment is very nicely executed.

v/r
Dat Nguyen

[desantnik]

Off the top of my head that s/n should be about late '42-early '43. Strange.

[Dat Nguyen]

Greetings to All,

Back in 2007, I picked this up at a market in Sarajevo. Finally got around to researching it. Enjoy ...

Thanks Auke for the research.

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Kovalenko, Grigory Petrovich
2. Rank: Junior Sergeant
3. Position and unit: Mortar commander in the 3rd Rifle Company, 3rd Independent Rifle Battalion, 229th Rifle Brigade
Nominated for: Medal for Courage
4. Year of birth: 1901
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party
7. Participation in the Civil War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): Has been taking part in the Patriotic War since January 27, 1942, serving on the Southwestern Front
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: Yes
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1942
10. Drafted by which military commissariat: Military Commissariat of the Ternovka Raion, Saratov Oblast
11. Previous awards (for which accomplishments): None
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and his family’s address: Sovkhoz nr. 104, Ternovka Raion, Saratov Oblast

Short, concrete description of his feat of arms or accomplishments:

When the platoon leader was put out of action, comrade Kovalenko led the platoon and advanced toward the height. During an enemy counterattack his mortars killed up to a platoon of submachine gunners.

He deserves the Medal for Courage.

Commander of the 3rd Independent Rifle Battalion

Captain [signed] /Melnikov/

February 12, 1943

He deserves the Medal for Courage.

Commander of the 229th Rifle Brigade

Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Scherbakov/