Red Star,1331983,Gunner,549th Guards Rifle Regiment

[jefflgarrison]

Thanks again to my "Javascript" programmer in Russia. However, there were some words he was unable to read. Extra stuff was filled in by a little ol' Russian lady in Gdansk and Brian.

Comrade Shkvarov was the #1 in the Maxim gun crew of the 549th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 62d Guards Rifle Division.

On August 6th, 1942 Shkvarov was given an order to make a forced crossing of the Don river near the village of Kulakovka in the Kharkov region, and secure the opposite bank so his whole batallion could safely cross the Don and conquer the village.

This task was successfully accomplished by Shkvarov; he also suppressed 2 enemy gunpoints and repelled a counter-attack.

On December 15th, 1942, while crossing the Don river, Shkvarov was heavily injured, and was found suitable for nonbattle-only duty.

Shkvarov deserves a goverment award of "Order of a Red Star".

Although this was for action in 1942, the award didn't make it to comrade Shkvarov until May 4, 1945. Talk about waiting a long time and then getting short-changed with only an ORS.

Additional information provide by the award card, Private First Class Shkvarkov was a maxim gunner in the the 549th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 62d Guards Rifle Division attached to the 3rd Tank Army in the south-western front.

He was Belorussian and according to this document, served in the Red Army, starting at the age of 16, from 1919-1924 prior to being called up again April 25, 1942. Obviously his participation in the war ended when he was seriously hurt on December 15th from an anti-personnel round.

As always, any corrections are welcomed.