For Combat Merits,1857286,Section Commander,Balloon Section,138th Artillery Brigade

[CtahhR]

Finding information on Observation Balloonists of the Red Army isn't too easy. I believe there were only 8 Sections (Воздухоплавательный Дивизион Аэростатов Артиллерийского Наблюдения) in the whole Red Army.

In total there were 19,985 observation flights performed by balloonists of the Red Army during the war, clocking up 20,126 flight hours. 110 Soviet Observation Balloons were lost.

Getting one of these bladders from the box to the air in only 3 minutes 48 seconds is some task.

The 7th Section would later participate in the holding and push on the Kurland Kessel.