Red Star,0134330,Flight Technician,23rd Medical Squadron,2nd Ukrainian Front

[Bill Garvy]

Award Card
Order Booklet 386433
1. Last name: Gavrilko
2. Name and patrionymic: Mikhail Matveevich
3. Rank: Senior Technical Lieutenant
4. Gender: Male
5. Birthyear: November 1910
6. Birthplace: Sumy Oblast, Rovno Region, village of Voroshilovka
7. Party membership: since February, 1943
8. Education: elementary
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Time in Red Army: April, 1931 - November, 1933 and June, 1941 – December, 1945
11. Place of service at awarding: Wing Technician – 85th Independent Budapest (Medical?) Aviation Regiment, 2nd Ukrainian Front
12. Place of work at present: Temporarily unemployed
13. Home address: Tbilisi, Engels St. #36

14. Awards:
Designation Serial Number Awarding Organization

Red Star 134.330 5th Air Army, North Caucasus Front dated 23.03.43

Red Star 1.008.489 2nd Ukrainian Front dated 16.04.45

Defense of Caucasus Medal Edict dated 01.05.44

Verified by Tbilisi “Beriya” Regional Military Commissariat Major Kachsishvili on 9th January, 1946

[Bill Garvy]

Senior Technical Lieutenant Mikhail Matveevich Gavrilko's Order of the Red Star, #134330. . .

Again note the crude repair, 7 o'clock arm. Still looking for the citation and service record. . .

[Tommy]

Your wish is my command Bill!

Gavrilko.jpg

Google translate and a bit of fiddling:

Comrade Gavrilko has served in the Great Patriotic War with the 85th separate sanitary(medical?) aviation regiment since December 1942 until April 1944. During this period of time he has proved himself to be a disciplined, hard-working and conscientious officer.


Through his well organized management, his technical staff are able to work together and mobilize to accomplish their tasks. Personally, he works hard and helps others.


In the difficult mountainous terrain unit he has taken part in 520 sorties in ???????

[CtahhR]

Aircraft-Sorties is the last word.

[Auke]

That's the citation for his second Red Star - note how the document says that he was already awarded a Red Star in 1943.

P.S. He did not take part in 520 sorties, but supported them by servicing aircraft.

[Tommy]

Indeed it is Auke, my bad, the excitement got the better of me lol.

Always something to learn :).

Tom

[Auke]

No problem mate. :thumbsup

This is his first Red Star citation:

Общедоступный электронный банк документов 'Подвиг народа'

[Tommy]

The Medical Administration of the northern group has awarded comrade Gavrilko the badge "Excellence in Medical Service."

During the inspection of the Air Force ???? it was noted that the materiel section managed by Comrade Gavrilko, is in excellent condition.

For his commitment and work on Aircraft maintenance, comrade Gavrilko deserves to be awarded the order "Red Star"


Or something like that i think...


*EDIT* I just noticed i missed the first 3/4 of the citation haha. It didn't load it when i first looked at it. I'll have a go now

[Bill Garvy]

The archives lists two entries for an Order of the Red Star but with different birth dates, 1910 & 1920.

[Bill Garvy]

Award sheet

For Senior Sergeant Mikhail Matveyevich Gavrilko, flight mechanic in the 23rd Independent Medical Squadron
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
1. Year of birth: 1910
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1940
4. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party
5. Participation in combat (where and when): With the Northern and Black Sea Group during the fighting with the German occupiers
6. Wounds and contusions received: No
7. Awards received previously (for which merits): Badge for Distinction in the Medical Service
8. Drafted by which military commissariat: Tbilisi
9. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

Serving as a flight technician in the 23rd Independent Medical Squadron, comrade Gavrilko showed exceptional skill in preparing aircraft, thereby carrying out the tasks assigned by the medical staff of the Northern Group of the Transcaucasian Front. The aircraft that didn’t have a home base managed to carry out their missions without any downtime. Serving as a flight technician, comrade Gavrilko showed his abilities to prepare the materiel for difficult and long flights. Flying over the front line, sandy areas, et cetera, the aircraft never suffered any incidents or downtime.

Comrade Gavrilko serviced three aircraft, which performed over 559 sorties, evacuated 1017 soldiers and commanders, and transported over 4933 kilograms of medical supplies, provisions, ammunition, and other goods.

The medical staff of the Northern Group awarded comrade Gavrilko the Badge for Distinction in the Medical Service.

During an examination by Air Force inspectors from the Transcaucasian Front the materiel of comrade Gavrilko’s flight was found to be in excellent condition.

Because of his dedication and his efforts in servicing aircraft comrade Gavrilko deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 23rd Independent Medical Squadron
Captain [signed] /Kostenko/
February 20, 1943