Request for help in translation of two citations

[jefflgarrison]

Here are two citations that I received yesterday.

I can understand something about a village near Stalingrad in the first (handwritten one).

Second one, to the same person in April, 1945 seems to be for helping in an attack on "Fort #2" but I don't know where.

Let me know if they are not big enough to be readable.

Any help with both would be greatly appreciated.

[jefflgarrison]

Here is the second one.

[Kirchgoens]

From citation no. 2, it looks like he might have been an artillery forward observer - a job close to my own heart having been one myself facing the Soviet 28th CAA in Germany at the end of the Cold War and in Iraq in '91.

Would you please rescan/enlarge the actual citation part of the doc? It's just a bit too tough in that size for my bad Russian, so I cannot quite make out the typing of the location in the first line.

As for doc number 1, you will definitely need to scan the citation part much larger and clearer. It's beyond me in that size: I can read a bit of it right now, even zooming in using windows picture/fax viewer.

...Brian

[jefflgarrison]

Here you go Brian. Thanks for the help.

[Koopyetz]

Regarding citation.2

I believe it says the following:
In combat on 9 April 1945? provided accurate artillery fire and due to
precise coordinates on target repelled three furious counterattacks by enemy with great losses.
During assault on fort 2 the infantry broke due to the barrage from battery an contributed to the capitulation of fort.

Corrections and addition would be appreciated
Regards
Rick

[Kirchgoens]

It appears that the location was the "village of Mondeln" (the abbreviation of "d" being Russian for "village"). I bet it is an obscure German village, so it might be tough to even google it. From my days stationed in Germany, I know that there are hundreds of small towns that don't really make it past a 1:250,000 map or easily into google. You might need to do a bit of unit research to get closer to the location, and then from there look on a German map. I bet you could find it on one of those 1:250k or 1:100k road atlases they sell in Germany. Maybe that's also available in Poland?

Addition: after some googling, I think the German spelling may also be "Mandeln". There is a village in Hessen by this name, but that obviously wouldn't be the one since that was clearly in the areas captured by US forces.

[jefflgarrison]

Translation for Citation #1:

Comrade Velichko during the Great Patriotic war, in the periods of the 19-25 November 1942 and 10-29 January 1943, has shown bravery, skill and courage while fighting the fascist forces. Under his supervision as a party commisar the following job was made: smooth comminucation was provided for (???), up to 255 enemy weapon's emplacement were found and covered by artillery fire. Having suffered from lack of communications repair personnel and with the wounding of the platoon commander on January 21, 1943 during the fight near the village of Alexeevka of Stalingrad region, he has taken command of the platoon and successfully reestablished on going communications. For his deeds comrade Velichko deserves the governmental award "For the courage".

[jefflgarrison]

Translation for citation #2:

In the battle for the village of Mondeln, April 9, 1945, being in the midst of the infantry formation, he has adjusted the fire of the artillery group. With his correct designation of the coordinates of all the emerging targets, shells did hit the targets precisely, that resulted in beating off three harsh counter-attacks, with enemy having received heavy losses in both infantry and machinery.

During the assault of fort #2, being in the midst of the infantry formation, he, with the help of his group, destroyed one machine gun and suppressed a ??mm mortar squad, that helped achieve enemy's front surrender.

[jefflgarrison]

Will post photos of the awards and Stalingrad citation later today.