Jump to content

Soviet Valor Groups


Bill_Carman
 Share

Recommended Posts

Seeing PaulR’s nice Soviet collection, made me crawl inside the safe and dig some groups out. This is the first group of several.

 

This valor group was awarded to Senior Sergeant Andrei Ivanovich LAZAR. Lazar served in the Red Army from July 1941 to November 1945; all that time with the 585th Independent Signal Battalion, 215th Rifle Division. He was a communications sergeant/ squad leader, fighting the Germans and the Japanese.

 

Lazar was awarded:

The Medal for Bravery, 915149, on 22 February 1944, for establishing and maintaining communications between Regimental and Divisional outpost while under heavy mortar and artillery bombardment…

Order of the Red Star, 585164, on September 6, 1944, for personally leaving safety and going out under enemy artillery fire, as many as 11 times to repair broken lines and being and personal example to his soldiers under any conditions including combat….

Order of Glory III, 252873, on June 2, 1945, Comrade Lazar was bold and courageous in maintaining communications with Division Headquarters while being under fire and positioned across the river…

Order of the Red Star, 2264899, on April 17, 1945, for bravery and courage during the fighting in Eastern Prussia while reducing the enemy pocket on the Zemland peninsula, (this was the Samland peninsula and the battle of Koenigsberg )…

The Medal for Bravery, 3325780, on November 11, 1945, for laying communications line under machine gun fire from an enemy bunker in the offensive fighting to penetrate the Japanese defense line along the state border…(originally recommended for the Red Star the recommendation was downgraded)

Medals for Capture of Koenigsberg and Victory Over Japan were issued in 1946.

 

Thanks for looking.

post-185250-0-01531600-1543190927_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bill- Thank you for the kind call-out. This is an amazing start. I cannot wait to see the rest of your collection. I plan on profiling each of my groups in that thread, as time permits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This valor group was awarded to Lieutenant Krafy Ivanovich NURK. Nurk first entered the Red Army as a cadet in the Kiev Artillery Academy in 1937, serving as an Artillery Officer until 1953, finishing as a Lieutenant Colonel. He was educated, 10th grade, and he also spoke Polish. He fought against the White Finns in 1940, in addition to his Patriotic War service. He was assigned to the Polish Army, Polish Forces Artillery from September 1944 to June 1948.

Nurk was awarded:

The Medal for Bravery, 34247, on 18 January 1942, when Lt. Nurk headed a daring and sudden nighttime raid slipping into the enemy rear area; through his courage and personal example the raid captured vehicles, supplies, ammunition, mortars, machine guns, and captured prisoners… He was initially recommended for the Order of the Red Banner, but it was downgraded in the chain of command to the Medal for Bravery.

The Order of the Patriotic War I, 20153, on 29 August 1943, when Major Nurk, 15th Rifle Division Artillery Chief of Staff, during an enemy offensive with virtually all communications cut off and paralyzed, including that with the Commander, he assessed and appraised the combat situation, he quickly got the headquarters operational again and delivered quick, accurate and proper directives to the artillery units. He has proven himself a brave, courageous, energetic, and motivated commander… He was initially recommended for the OPW II, but it was upgraded to the OPW I

The Medal for Combat Service and the Order of the Red Star, 3152081, are likely awarded for service/longevity.

The medals for Victory over Germany, Liberation of Warsaw, and Capture of Berlin were all awarded in September 1945. The 30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy Medal was awarded in 1948.

While assigned to the Polish Army he was awarded several Polish orders and Medals, these are not with the group.

Thanks for looking.

 

 

post-185250-0-75759800-1543279136_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A most impressive grouping. This man was a true hero. I bet he was a sight to behold,with all of those awards on his uniform. Are the specific Polish decorations listed anywhere?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Paul, I believe this is one of only a couple officer groups I have. The others are all to enlisted soldiers and have Orders of Glory and Bravery Medals.

 

His Polish Awards are listed in his officers file, they include The Medal for Victory and Freedom, The Medal for Warsaw, The Oder, Neisse and Baltic Medal, and two Silver Service Crosses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

This valor group was awarded to Senior Sergeant Vladimir Romanovich MADZHAR. Senior Sergeant Madzhar is a Full Cavalier of the Order of Glory, being awarded all three classes of the Order of Glory. Unfortunately the Order of Glory 1st Class is not part of this group and its location is unknown, this is also the case with his Order of the Red Star.

The following is an excerpt from the book Full Cavaliers of the order of Glory.

V. R. Madzhar fought in the Patriotic War since June 1941. As a gun-crew commander in the 115th Independent Destroyer Anti-tank Battalion (th3th Rifle Division, 59th Army, 1st Ukrainian Front), Senior Sergeant Madzhar excelled in combat near the area of Mikhaluvka (Poland) on 20 January 1945. Supporting the actions of an infantry battalion, he destroyed with his cannon two machine-guns and their crews and suppressed the fire of an enemy gun. On 27 January 1945, he was awarded the Order of Glory III Class, (273869). On 31 January 1945, northwest of Kozel (Germany), now Kendzezhin-Kozle (Poland) he destroyed as many as 20 enemy soldiers by direct firing. On 18 February 1945, he was awarded the Order of Glory II Class, (4501). On 21 March 1945, in combat southeast of Prudnik (Poland) while moving with the infantry, Madzhar suppressed two machine-guns, repelled an enemy attack, destroyed 10 enemy soldiers, and captured an officer. He was awarded the Order of Glory 1 Class on 27 June 1945, (1078).

Madzhar was also awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Defense of Leningrad Medal and the Victory Over Germany Medal.

The Order of Glory was awarded almost exclusively to enlisted personnel however some junior aviation lieutenants were also awarded it. Soldiers that were awarded all three classes of the Order of Glory also received the same privileges as Hero of the Soviet Union.

Thanks for looking.

 

 

post-185250-0-31794500-1545028471.jpg

post-185250-0-00652300-1545028515.jpg

post-185250-0-33208900-1545028523.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This valor group was awarded to Private Ivan Petrovich LAPTEV. Laptev served in the Red Army from January 1943 to August 1953. During the war he served as a combat engineer with the 614th Independent Engineering Battalion, 333rd Rifle Division. After the war he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, Rifle Platoon Commander, 562nd Rifle Company.

Laptev was awarded:

The Order of Glory III Class, (32023) on 29 November 1943. When during the night of 25/26 November 1943 comrade Laptev was among the first to cross the Dnieper river in the area of Konevsky Island under heavy fire from enemy mortars and grenade launchers. Although seriously wounded comrade Laptev did not leave the battlefield. Together with his unit he carried out the combat task to clear passages through wire entanglements for the advancing infantry. Exhausted, comrade Laptev was carried out of the battlefield. Throughout the fights comrade Laptev set the example of courage and valor.

The Order of Glory II Class, (2634) on 7 September 1944. When on 24 July 1944, near the village of Fantyna-Mastraut comrade Laptev cleared a path through an enemy minefield and made a passage through and enemy wire entanglement under enemy rifle and machine-gun fire. His actions allowed the 4th platoon of the penal company to advance successfully and take an enemy trench at the forefront of the enemy defensive line near the village of Fantyna-Mastraut. Throughout the fighting comrade Laptev repeatedly cleared passages for infantry and division reconnaissance units under enemy fire.

Remaining in the service of the Red Army for at least ten years he received the Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy in February 1948. In August 1953, he was awarded the Medal for Combat Service, and I think it was for 10 years longevity in the Red Army. Laptev was also awarded the Bulgarian Liberation Medal at some time in his career.

Thanks for looking.

 

 

post-185250-0-32560000-1545032154.jpg

post-185250-0-29373300-1545032181.jpg

post-185250-0-88813600-1545032191.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...