Red Star,0140444,Deputy Battery Commander,57th Guards Artillery Regiment

[Bill Garvy]

Order booklet N 679427
1. Last name: Zubarev
2. Name and Patrionymic: Dmitrii Fillipovich
3. Rank: Guards Senior Lieutenant
4. Sex: Male
5. Birthyear: 1920
6. Birthplace: Penzenskaya Oblast, Zemetchini Region, village of Uchinika
7. Party Membership: member since 1941
8. Education: mid-level
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Service in the Red Army: September 1940 - February 1944
11. Place of service and duty position at time of awarding: 26 Guards Rifle Division – Battery Commander
12. Place of service and duty position at the current time: Zemetchini Region. Editor – Magazine Editor
13. Home of Record: Zemetchini Region, Lenin St. #116

14. Awards

Award Serial Number Awarder
Red Star 140.444 26 Guards Rifle Division dated 31.1.43
Defense of Moscow Medal Edict dated 1.5.44

Verified by Zemetchini Regional Military Commissariat Official Captain (?) on 12 February 1946

[Bill Garvy]

Award Sheet

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Zubarev, Dmitrii Filippovich
2. Rank: Guards Lieutenant
3. Duty position: Deputy Battery Commander – 57 Guards Artillery Regiment, 26 Guards Rifle Division

Application for the Order of the Red Star

4. Birthyear: 1920
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: since 1941
7. Participation in combat: since 25.10.1941
8. Wounds or shell-shock: n/a
9. Time in the Red Army: since 1939
10. Inducted by: Zemetinskii Regional Military Commissariat, Penzen Oblast
11. Earlier Awards: n/a
12. Home of record: Penzen Oblast, Zemetinskii Region, village of Usiimka [trans: handwritten note – “still in the ranks”]

Short description of personal combat feat or service

While penetrating the enemy’s defense on 4.12.1942 near the village of Zherebtsova, Comrade Zubarev moved his guns to fire on direct lay, scattering the enemy firing positions at point blank range.
Soon after two platoon leaders were killed, two commanders were wounded, and then his gunner was wounded, but despite his open position and missing members, he continued to fire upon the enemy at point blank range and his personal example motivated the remaining crew members. When heavy enemy mortar and artillery fire prevented further firing and one gun was damaged, Comrade Zubarev continued firing from the other gun system.
With the words “For our dead comrades and for our damaged gun!” Comrade Zubarev destroyed one enemy (?) and two bunkers.
Comrade Zubarev is deserving of the Order of the Red Star.

Signed 57th Guard Artillery Regiment Commander Guards Lieutenant Colonel Vakhrameev

Endorsed 26 Guards Rifle Division Commander Guards General-Major (?) on 30th December 1943

[Bill Garvy]

Guard's Senior Lieutenant Zubarev's Order of the Red Star. . .

[Eryk]

Operation Mars. :thumbsup

From what appears to be a decent web site (sourced from Glantz's work among others):

The initial assault was launched from the Vazusa River bridgehead on the morning of the 11th of December. At 10:10 hours massed infantry from the 20th and 29th Armies, resumed their attacks under heavy German fire. Attacking recklessly across a 4km sector, against heavily reinforced German antitank defences. The desperate assault saw 20th Army lose almost 300 tanks in two days of incessant combat and the attack broke down along the majority of the penetration front. Then, the 5th Tank Corps was committed to the battle, its armour desperately trying to penetrate the enemy defences. The tank assaults gave way to furious enemy counterattacks and individual heights and key positions changed hands several times, with both sides suffering heavy losses. The assaults continued for three days, before collapsing in utter exhaustion on the 15th of December.

26th GRD was in 20th Army. A great award and cite from one of the tragic campaigns of the GPW.