Red Star,2081912,Senior Scout,386th Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment

[Bill Garvy]

Award Card
Order Booklet V 090526
1. Last name: Balankin
2. Name and patrionymic: Ivan Fedorovich
3. Rank: Guards Sergeant
4. Gender: Male
5. Birthyear: 1925
6. Birthplace: Kaluga Oblast, Babynino Settlement
7. Party membership: Comsomol member since 1944
8. Education: elementary
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Time in Red Army: since 01.1943
11. Place of service at awarding: 249th Guards Destroyer Regiment, 11th Destroyer Brigade – Reconnaissance Squad Leader
12. Place of work at present: 46th Guards Mechanized Regiment, 13th Guards Mechanized Division – Battery First Sergeant
13. Home address: Kaluga Oblast, Babynino Station, Volkovskii Selsovet, village of Krutaya

14. Awards:
Designation/Serial Number/Awarding Organization

Bravery Medal 2.441.069 386th Destroyer Regiment, 8.3.45

Red Star 2.081.912 26th Independent Destroyer Brigade, 10.8.45

Red Star 2.016.723 Central Group of Forces , 31.8.45

Verified by Chief of Staff, 46 Guards Mechanized Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Lamta on 17th July, 1947

[Bill Garvy]

Award Sheet

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Balankin, Ivan Fedorovich
2. Rank: Corporal
3. Duty position: Senior Scout – 2nd Battery, 386th Order of Kutuzov Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment, 26th Independent Oder Destroyer Anti-tank Artillery Brigade, RGK
Recommendation for the Order of the Red Star
4. Born: 1925
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Comsomol member since January 1944. Booklet 20852729
7. Previous combat: 1st Ukrainian Front December, 1943 through 9th May, 1945
8. Wounds or shell-shock: n/a
9. In Red Army: since 14th January, 1943
10. Inducted by: Bobininsky Regional Military Commissariat, Tula Oblast
11. Previous awards: Bravery Medal by 386th Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment, on 8th March 1945
12. Home of record: Kaluga Oblast, Bobininskii Region, village of Krutaya
Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

Comrade Balankin has displayed exceptional bravery, steadfastness, and valor in the struggle against the German-fascist invaders. Since the regiment’s formation he has been in reconnaissance and in attacks he has proven himself a knowledgeable and resourceful in conducting reconnaissance of the enemy.

On 4th March, 1945 near Ober Bilau while repelling an enemy counterattack he destroyed 15 German soldiers and officers, killing a German officer with three Iron Crosses at point blank range.

On 22nd April, 1945 near Radensdorf while destroying an encircled enemy pocket, in reconnaissance he destroyed a heavy machinegun with grenades and captured six prisoners.

On 1st May, 1945 in combat near Lukkenwald during the liquidation of the Berlin pocket and conducting a front-line reconnaissance on an armored personnel carrier, he blew open a lane with a machinegun allowing the battery to occupy their sector and with his submachinegun killed five soldiers trying to destroyer the armored personnel carrier with a panzerfaust.

He is deserving of the Order of the Red Star.

Signed Commander, 386th Order of Kutuzov Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Maksimov on 28th July, 1945

Endorsed Commander, 26th Independent Oder Order of Kutuzov Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade, RGK, Lieutenant Colonel Bogdanov on 10th August, 1945

[Bill Garvy]

Unit Award Order

SECRET

(?) Oder Order of Kutuzov Independent Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade, RGK Order 022/N dated 10th August, 1945

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet USSR, I award the following decorations for exemplary accomplishment of the Command’s missions in the struggle against the German invaders and for having displayed valor and bravery:

Order of the Red Star to:

6. Corporal Ivan Fedorovich Balankin – Senior Scout, 2nd Battery, 385th Order of Kutuzov Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Regiment

Signed 26th Order of Kutuzov Independent Destroyer Anti-Tank Artillery Brigade, RGK, Lieutenant Colonel Bogdanov

[Bill Garvy]

Corporal Ivan Fedorovich Balankin's Order of the Red Star, #2081912, an MZPP variant with replaced enamel on the top arm of the star.

My thanks to the "Kabbage" Man for his invaluable assistance!