Red Star,0050520,Rifleman,171st Rifle Regiment,North-Western Front

[Eryk]

This RS was picked up here in the marketplace a couple of years ago. After a couple of attempts research has finally turned up the documents to go with it. Turns out it was the soldier's only award, received for actions outside the "Demyansk pocket".

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AWARD CARD
Order Booklet B № 931743

1. Last Name Starodubtsev
2. Name and Patronymic Ivan Nikolaevich
3. Military Rank Private
4. Sex Male
5. Year of Birth 1922
6. Place of Birth Kursk Region, Oktyabr’ District, Village D. Rajya
7. Party Membership Member of the VKP(b) (All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)) since 1942
8. Education Elementary
9. Nationality Russian
10. In the Red Army since August 1941 – May 1946
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and duty position at time of awarding time Northwestern Front, № 0903 – Private
12. Place of service and duty position at current time Yaroslavl People's Court, 1st Security Unit – Guard
13. Home address of the awardee City Yaroslavl, Deputate Street, 11 – 8
14. Record of all awards presented:

Name of Orders Medals Serial Number Numbers of Documents Awarder
Order of the "Red Star" 50520 Temp. Cert.108280 Order of the Northwestern Front № 0903 of 28.7.42

Signature of the awardee (signed) I. Starodubtsev
Correctness of the data and signature of awardee attested by
Yaroslavl Commissariat, Chief of the 3rd Department
(signed)
7 December 1946 / ? /

[Eryk]

Besides being from an interesting battle and a vivid citation it is an example of an award 'upgrade'. This is early 1942, before the advent of 'award inflation' we're all so familiar with, and he was originally put forward for a Bravery Medal. Army command recommended him for a Red Star instead, and the Front command supported that recommendation.

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AWARD LIST

Position and name of the military unit Rifleman, 2nd Rifle Battalion, 171st Rifle Regiment, 182nd Rifle Division
Military Rank, Family name, name and patronymic Red Army Man Starodubtsev Ivan Nikolaevich

Name of the Award Medal “For Bravery”

1. Year of birth 1922
2. Nationality Russian
3. Social Status Employee
4. Party membership Candidate of the VKP(b) (All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks))
5. In the Red Army since February 1942
6. Participation in the civil war Participated
7. Wounds or contusions Was wounded
8. Was he nominated for awards before Does not have awards
9. Which awards does he have and for what
10. Permanent address Kursk Region, Oktyabr’ District, Village K. Grajvoronka

I. Brief description of personal feat

Comrade Starodubtsev has been on the front lines in the battles against the German Fascists; there he has demonstrated himself as a courageous and tenacious defender of the Socialist Motherland, not knowing fear in front of the enemy.

On 23 March 1942 during the close-in combat in the city of Staraya Russa he was noted for his courage and bravery; he engaged in the attack in front of everyone, exhorting and carrying along with him other soldiers of his unit in the battle against the fascists.

On 22 April of the same year during the offensive of the Village Novoe Ramuschevo, impetuously and courageously, being the first, he rushed into the village and showered with grenades the fascists located at that time in the village bathhouse; there he destroyed 11 German soldiers and one machine gun.

In that battle Comrade Starodubtsev, though having been wounded, did not leave the battlefield but continued to fight until the end of the operation.

Upon his return to the unit, after recovering from his wounds, with even greater hatred towards the enemy, Comrade Starodubtsev demonstrated in battle his courage and bravery, always being ready for the execution of any military task of the commanders.

Comrade Starodubtsev deserves the governmental awards, Medal “For Bravery”.

Commander of the Regiment
Major (Signed) / Nejman /

Military Commissar of the Regiment
Battalion Commissar (Signed) / Iva? /

20 July 1942

II. Conclusion of the Higher Command

Deserves the governmental awards: “Medal For Bravery”.

Commander of the 182nd Rifle Division
Brigade Commander (Signed)

Military Commissar of the 182nd Rifle Division
Regiment Commissar (Signed)

20 July 1942

III. Conclusion of the Army Military Council

Recommended for the governmental award Order of the “Red Star”.

Commander in Chief of the 27th Army
General Major (Signed) / Ozerov /

Member of the Military Council
Brigade Commissar (Signed) / Shevchenko /

22 July 1942

IV. Conclusion of the Front Military Council

Awarded the Order of the “Red Star” by order of the Troops of the Northwestern Front № 0903 of 28 July 1942.

Chief of the Personnel Department of the Northwestern Front
Colonel (Signed) / Fonin /

Commissar of the Personnel Department of the Northwestern Front
Senior Battalion Commissar (Signed) / Bari? /

[deValcourt]

Very interesting stuff, especially the "upgrading" info laid out like that. It is good to see the workings of the awarding process like this.

And thanks for the photos.:thumbsup I didn't expect to see the actual order because of the low serial number. Not to diminish the historical value of this piece, but I have to ask (as a fan of ORSs) if any of the enamel is original. A superb piece regardless of the answer.:)

Phillip

[Eryk]

Hey Phillip,

Believe it or not all the remaining enamel appears original - the photo doesn't do it justice. Black light shows it to be original. All the flaws are just surface scratches, except for the gapping wound on the 5 o'clock arm of course. I'm fooling around with a scanner, and going to try to get some more representative shots, eg... what's below.

But it's not really the picture of it either, :rolleyes: the enamel in person is a very dark red, more like the first shot. (I get how you thought the enamel was replaced - it looks like the uneven mottling that often shows up on replacement enamel.) The enamel doesn't have nearly the 'replaced' look of the first pic, I think because the scratches look like what they are - scratches instead of 'wavy' like new (bad) enamel.

And even those are not apparent when looking at it under good light with no magnification. Under the 10x of course the scratches are obvious, but just on display it looks really nice. Anyway, the history is the coolest part!

[deValcourt]

I see now. Of course you are right about everything you said (optical illusions and all), but you are especially right about the history.;)

[CtahhR]

Here is the original citation. Also awarded an OPW1'85.