Red Star,0065100,Rifle Battalion Commander,285th Rifle Regiment,112th Rifle Division

[Tommy]

Record card

Order booklet nr. A-105052

1. Last name: Bezyazykov
2. First name and patronymic: Aleksandr Kuzmich
3. Military rank: Major
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1916
6. Place of birth: Krasnodar Krai, Novosibirsk Area
7. Party membership (since which year): Since April 1944
8. Education: Average
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: 1937-1946
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied at the time of the award: 121st Rifle Division, Chief of Staff for the 524th Rifle Regiment
12. Current place of service and position: Azti Deputy Chief of Staff
13. Home address of the awardee: Center No.24 Apartment 2
14. Record of all awards received:

Name of the order or medal Serial number Number of the document Ground of award

Red Star 65100 Order Booklet N105052 Decree of the South-western Front No.010/N of 26.09.1942

Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class 58668 Temp. Cert N.492606 Decree of the 60th Army No.072/N of 19.8.1943

Order of Suvorov 3rd Class 8787 Temp Cert N.347555 Decree of the 1st Ukrainian Front of 24.11.1943 No.0225/N

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):

Military commissar of the Frunze region
Major / [signed] / Budashirov

28th August 1946

[Tommy]

Award sheet

Last name, first name and patronymic: Bezyazykov, Aleksandr Kuz’mich
Rank: Senior Lieutenant
Position and unit: Commander of the 2nd Rifle Battalion, 285th Rifle Regiment, 112th Rifle Division

Nominated for: Order of the Red Star

1. Year of birth: 1916
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1937
4. Party membership: Not a member
5. Participation in combat (where and when): Lake Khasan in 1938. Patriotic War from 23.6 to 15.9.1941 on the Western Front and South-Western Front in a Machine Gun Platoon in the 587th Rifle Regiment, 190th Rifle Division. Since 25.7.1942 commander of a Rifle Battalion in the 385th Rifle Regiment, 112nd Rifle Division
6. Wounds and Contusions: Wounded 15.9.1941 and 28.7.1942
7. Awards received previously (for which merits): None
8. Inducted by which Regional Millitary Commissariat: Career Officer
9. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits

Comrade Bezyazykov Alexander Kuzmich has proved himself during the battles with German invaders as steadfast and knowledgeable in his role as commander.

During the Great Patriotic War comrade Bezyazykov whilst commander of the 2nd Rifle Battalion has led his battalion into combat and achieved victory over the enemy. On July 27th Comrade Bezyazykovs battalion was ordered to mount a night attack on Chir station. Comrade Bezyazykov took Chir Station and with it struck a huge blow on the enemy.

From the 2nd to the 7th September, the battalion served in the defense of the area of Gumrak station and the Stalingrad Experimental Station. Despite the fact that the Hitlerites had undertaken their attack with a whole regiment, Bezyazykov, with only a handful of brave men prevailed and all of the enemy’s attacks were repulsed.

On 05.09.42 a company of Hitlerites attacked Bezyazykov’s battalions’ position with whom they engaged and the attack was repulsed. The battalion destroyed 2 tanks, 3 vehicles, 1 mortar battery and up to 15 stockpiles of ammunition.

On 06.09.42 the Hitlerites mounted a second offensive on Bezyazykovs position from the right flank. In great danger, seeing their plight, he himself led his battalion in the counter-attack and the Hitlerites attack was fully repulsed. The Germans lost 600 soldiers and abandoned their attempt to break through the front in the area defended by Bezyazykovs battalion.

For his bravery and courage he is worthy of submission for the government award – the Order of the Red Star.

11.09.1942

Commander of the 385th Rifle Regiment
Senior Lieutenant / [signed] / Balujko

Millitary Commissar of the 385th Rifle Regiment
Senior Commander / [signed] / Chumak

RS 65.100 OBVa.jpg

RS 65.100 REV.jpg

RS1.jpg

[Tommy]

OPW2 Citation

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Bezyazykov, Aleksandr Kuz’mich
2. Rank: Captain
3. Position and unit: Chief of Staff of the 382nd Rifle Regiment, 121 Ryl'sk Rifle Division

Nominated for: Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class

4. Year of birth: 1916
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Candidate since 1942
7. Participation in combat (where and when): Participant in the Great Patriotic War since 22 July 1941 on the South-Western Front, Stalingrad Front and Central Front
8. Wounds and Contusions: Wounded in August 1941 and July 1942
9. Time the Red Army: Since 1937
10. Inducted by which Military Commissariat: Abakansky Region Military Commissariat, Krasnoyarsk Krai
11. Awards received previously (for which merits): Awarded Order of the Red Star by decree N.010/N of the 62nd Army
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits

Since the regiments transition to being on the offensive, Captain Bezyazykov as Chief of Staff of the regiment, accuratley organized and led the combat operations of the regiment. He is always there, at any number of battalions in difficulty and despite the difficult situations he makes every effort in coordinating the battle and enabling the fulfillment of his combat orders.
In the battle for the city of Rylsk comrade Bezyazykov led a complex combat-storm for height 202, 0, north-west of the city of Rylsk whilst himself being part of the combat formations in the foreguard 2nd Battalion.
Through well organized artillery support, placement of subdivisions and Comrade Bezyakovsky's mastery of the situation, Height 202,0, was taken with extremely small losses, whislt causing huge damage to the enemy, killing 60 soldiers, one artillery warehouse and carts loaded with ammunition. With the enemies loss of this height, this thereby enabled our divisions to concentrate in the immediate vicinity of the city of Rylsk which created the threat of a flanking attack against the enemy.
In the battle for the village of Zhukova, comrade Bezyazykov whilst in the combat formations of the 3rd Rifle Battalion under strong enemy fire led the battles for Zhukova and Natariuskovka. Under cover of fire comrade Bezyazykov quickly launched to the left flank of the enemy with a rifle company, giving them the task of seizing individual houses on he hill and striking the enemies flank. The idea was brilliantly executed and the enemy couldn't withstand the impact of this rapid maneuver. In this battle prisoners and trophies were taken and so it was in the battles for Durov, Chumak and Smeloe. Comrade Bezyazykov in battle showed himself as brave and his orders shall be followed until the end.
He deserves the government award, the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class.

Commander of the 383rd Rifle Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel / [signed] / Shabanov

21.9.43

OPW2.jpg

[Tommy]

- Suvorov 3

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Bezyazykov, Aleksandr Kuz’mich
2. Rank: Captain
3. Position and unit: Chief of Staff of the 382nd Rifle Regiment, 121 Ryl'sk Rifle Division

Nominated for: Order of the Alexander Nevsky

4. Year of birth: 1916
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Candidate since 1942
7. Participation in combat (where and when): Participant in the Great Patriotic War since 22 July 1941 on the South-Western Front, Stalingrad Front and Central Front
8. Wounds and Contusions: Wounded in August 1941 and July 1942
9. Time the Red Army: Since 1937
10. Inducted by which Military Commissariat: Abakansky Region Military Commissariat, Krasnoyarsk Krai
11. Awards received previously (for which merits): Awarded Order of the Red Star by decree N.010/N of the 62nd Army
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits

After receiving his task to force a crossing of the River Dnieper, Captain Bezyazykov as Regimental Chief of Staff, despite all of the difficulties of the crossing area expertly summised a plan for crossing the Dnieper and competenly arranged the means to defend the crossing from the air and ground units of the enemy, which provided a 5 hour window of opportunity to ship all of the regiments combat units, including the regiments artillery.
Although the Air Defense Systems bravely and persistently shelled the enemy aircraft, forbidding then to descend, nevertheless, certain enemy planes in an attempt to delay the crossing, brazenly descended conducting strafing fire and signalled their heavy artillery, which began to bombard the crossing with methodical fire.
Due to the difficult environment that had been created, comrade Bezyazykov decided to accelerate the pace of the crossing. Thus, the infantry was shipped by boat and he quickly changed the place of the crossing by 30 metres to the south, to a previously prepared area and had time to send over the subdivisions thanks to the reinforced air defenses. As commander of the 2nd Rifle Battalion, on the ground Comrade Bezyazykov set the task to capture and secure a bridgehead for the Regiment and to ensure the crossing of the remaining units.
Thanks to the proper solutions and formulations of the problems during these seemingly hopeless moments, a firm insistance by the unit commanders in that they were to accomplish their task at all costs and the good organization of cooperation between them, the regiment crossed the River Dnieper for 5 hours and lost only a few men.
Comrade Bezyazykov during the battles for the Dnieper River proved himself a skillful organizer, an officer who can who can competently manage his troops in the most difficult of circumstances. He is a decisive, bold and insistent officer who properly managed his subordinates throughout the offensive battles, from the city of Rylsk to the river Dnieper and its western shore.

He deserves the award, the Order of Alexander Nevsky.

Commander of the 383rd Rifle Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel / [signed] / Shabanov

Suvorov 3.jpg

[Tommy]

The first area mentioned in the citation in Chir Station, located on the Don.

Here's the station and some maps.

1280px-ЖД-Станция_Чир.jpg

Chir location.jpg

The citation picks up again in September when the Russians had been pushed back all the way into Stalingrad itself. Our hero was defending Gumrak (Pitomnik Airfield) Station and the Tsaritsyn Experimental Station. The latter appears to be an agricultural farm of some sort, experimenting with techniques to improve crop yields etc. Needless to say it was razed to the ground.

Gumrak Station.jpg

[Tommy]

Interestingly, i found him on obd-memorial.ru he is down as being wounded and evacuated in August 1942. Right between the 2 actions noted in the Red Star citation. He must have left his hospital bed as the city was being surrounded and helped in the cities desperate defense.


He's 21 on the image below.
Attachment 128974

Because he lived until 1946 at least also, it means that this Red Star got beaten up post-war. Curiouser and curiouser. He must have died before 1985 though as theres no opw2 on the site.

What are your thoughts?

[CtahhR]

Could be that this fell off during Stalingrad and there was a replacement.... Obviously not in position when damaged but most probably "been there" as it has 3 months to fall off.

[Tommy]

Id be more comfortable with that theory than it being robbed from a grave or thrown out with the trash by the grandkids!

[CtahhR]

I've "dumpster dived" many times in America. I have General Patton's weatherman's uniform (and his brother's) from a dumpster..... No heroism but no destruction.