Red Banner,180509,Flight Navigator,45th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment

[Norm Braddock]

Award Sheet
1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Vodnyaev, Vladimir Vasilevich
2. Rank: Guards Junior Lieutenant
3. Duty position: Flight Navigator – 45 Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment
Recommendation for the Order of the Red Banner
4. Born: 1918
5. Nationality: Belorussian
6. Party membership: since 1944
7. Previous combat: since 4.5.1943
8. Wounds or shell-shock: wounded 5.10.1943
9. Time in Red Army: since 1940
10. Inducted by: Drissenskii Regional Military Commissariat, Vitebsk Oblast
11. Previous awards: Order of the Patriotic War 29.8.43
12. Home of record: Mosavi, Belorussian SSR, Vitebsk Oblast, Leozdyanskii Region, Krylkov Selsovet, village of Ivankovo(?). Wife – K(?)ova, Mariya Semenovna
Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment
He is self-disciplined, energetic, and motivated. He is a well-trained navigator. He is bold and resourceful during flight. During his war participation he completed 284 night combat sorties, 174 of which after his first awarding; 144 bombing missions against enemy personnel, equipment, and sites; 30 on special mission transporting ammunition and items to Polish rebels in Warsaw. He has never been lost his geographic orientation. As a result of successful bombing operations he has caused the following destruction of enemy personnel and equipment: three major fires in Konotop on the night of 6.9.43 as verified by Rudenko Chistyakov; destroyed an enemy artillery position on the night of 29.3.44 near Davydovichi, verified by K(?)tsev-Mikhonets; caused one major fire in Serots on the night of 22.8.44, verified by Kylasov-Voevodskii; machinegun fire destroyed a vehicle on the night of 22.8.44 near Rembertun, verified by Teslenk-Tarabashin; caused one major fire in the Rostki-Konturov forest on the night of 6.9.44, verified by Kozyur-Sergienko; caused a major fire on the night of 7.9.44 near Pshevodovo, verified by Shevtsov-Morozov; caused a major fire on the Pultusk-Nasalsk road stretch on the night of 8.9.44, verified by Shevtsov-Tarabyshin; and one major fire near Morki on the night of 13.9.44, verified by Teslenko-Chigan(?)ev. The other successful sorties were verified by the commander and navigator Ani(?)skadrili.
He actively participated in combat missions and is deserving of the Order of the Red Banner.
Signed, Commander, 45 Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment, Guards Lieutenant Colonel Menyaev on 7 October 1944
For 174 successful night combat sorties, endorsed Commander, 9 Guards Stalingrad-Rechitsa Order of Suvorov Bomber Aviation Division, Guards Colonel Rasskazov on 10 October 1944
Awarded the Order of the Red Banner by Order 150/N of the 16 Air Army dated 28.10.44, signed Chief of the 2 Section, 16 Air Army, Captain (?) on 17 November 1944




Award Card
Order Booklet A 730439
1. Last name: Vodnyaev
2. Name and patrionymic: Vladimir Vasilevich
3. Rank: employed
4. Gender: Male
5. Birthyear: 1918
6. Birthplace: Moscow
7. Party membership: since 6.1944
8. Education: mid-level
9. Nationality: Belorussian
10. Time in Red Army: since 9.1940
11. Place of service at awarding: 45 Guards Aviation Regiment, 9 Guards Aviation Division – Flight Navigator
12. Place of work at present: Troop Unit #30228
13. Home address: village of Svidovok, Cherkassi Region, Kiev Oblast
14. Awards:
Designation Serial Number Awarding Organization
OPWII 25.537 16 Air Army dated 24.8.43
Red Banner 180.509 16 Air Army dated 28.10.44
Liberation of Warsaw Medal Edict dated 9.6.45
Capture of Berlin Medal Edict dated 9.6.45
Victory over Germany Medal Edict dated 9.5.45

Verified by Chief of Personnel, Gera District, General-Major Konchits on 16 June 1947




SECRET
ORDER 150/N OF THE 16 AIR ARMY DATED 28 OCTOBER 1945
On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet USSR, I award the following decorations for exemplary mission accomplishment on the frontlines against the German invaders and for displaying valor and courage:
The Order of the Red Banner
2. Guards Junior Lieutenant Vladimir Vasilevich Vodnyaev Flight Navigator, 45 Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment, 9 Guards Stalingrad-Rechitsa Order of Suvorov Bomber Aviation Division

Signed Commander, 16 Air Army, General-Colonel of Aviation Rudenko and Chief of Staff, 16 Air Army,
General-Lieutenant of Aviation Brapko

[UQWozza]

PO-2 aviator!!!!!

Amazing he survived all those missions flying in such an outdated machine.

I believe the Germans called them sewing machines (Nähmaschine) because of the noise they made.


Simon

[Eryk]

Very nice!

This is great:

"...30 on special mission transporting ammunition and items to Polish rebels in Warsaw."

Wager it's a reference to dropping supplies to the AK ("Armia Krajowa", Home Army) in Warsaw during the Warsaw Uprising.

This is the only award I've ever seen explicitly linked to Warsaw, 1944. Again, NICE!

[CtahhR]

Here is the original citation. Vodnev.