Order of the Red Star

[Mozzabloke]

Hi All,
Just bought an Order of The Red Star SN 2130472

where should I look to find out more?

Thanks in advance.

Mark

[Ed Maier]

Mark,

I can help you out with research. Just contact me via email. This Red Star is going to be a late war issue and could be anything from a combat award, to a support staff award, to a long service award. There is just no way of telling without the research.

I just want to say for general infomration that Red Stars from before mid-1943 usually research great. A lot of people discount them, but we must remember that before mid-1943 there were much fewer awards in the Soviet system and there were no long service awards. A much higher act of valor or accomplishment was required to receive a Red Star at that time then later in the war.

Take care,
Ed Maier

[Doug]

I totally agree with Ed that 1943 and earlier Red Stars are usually much more interesting than later Red Stars but here's an exception to the rule:

Commendation for Order of the Red Star
Awarded May 9, 1945 (VE Day)
Guards Sergeant Vasily Timofeevich Avramchuk
Loader of SU 152, 351st Leningrad Order of Kutuzov 3rd Class Guards Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment
3rd Shock Army

Comrade Avramchuk displayed courage and valor during the fights to breach German defenses on the West bank of the Oder river and street fights in Berlin. The SU in which Comrade Avramchuk was loader by it's fire and tracks destroyed enemy personnel and equipment. Comrade Avramchuk courageously and efficiently carried out his duties within the crew. As they approached the Reichstag, Comrade Avramchuk noticed that enemy anti-aircraft guns were firing on our tank formations and reported this to the SU commander. The commander took the decision to take action and was able to suppress and destroy the anti-aircraft guns by the fire from the SU's gun. Over the entire period of fighting, the following has been destroyed by fire and tracks of the SU in which Comrade Avramchuk is loader: 4 field guns, 5 anti-tank guns, 2 mortar batteries, 1 pillbox, 12 houses occupied by enemy sub-machine gunners and panzerfaust operators, and up to 40 enemy soldiers and officers.

Interestingly, even though he was at the front since June 1941 and was never wounded, his only other award was a combat service medal.

All the best,

Doug

[Bryan]

Great award, but I wonder why he got the Red Star and not something like a For Valor or the Order of Glory. I wonder what the rest of the gun crew were awarded for this action.

Bryan