Tuesday 17 March 2015

Sneaky SU

The element of surprise is a valuable thing in combat, but difficult to achieve when you're fighting in giant steel vehicles with roaring engines and clanging tracks. In order to sneak up on someone in a tank, you need to have real skill as a driver.

"Award Order
  1. Name: Pakhomov, Dmitriy Fedorovich
  2. Rank: Guards Sergeant
  3. Position and Unit: Mechanic-Driver in the 393th Guards SPG Demyansk Regiment
    Is nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union
  4. Year of birt: 1920
  5. Nationality: Russian
  6. Party affiliation: none
  7. Action in the Civil War and subsequent conflicts in defense of the USSR: Patriotic War since June of 1943, 1st and 2nd Ukrainian Front, 1st Belorussian Front
  8. Wounds or concussions in the Patriotic War: none
  9. In the Red Army since: October 1942
  10. Recruited by: Sairam recruitment office, Yuzhnokazahstansk oblast.
Brief and specific description of personal heroism and achievements: On January 17th, 1945, during fighting for Sochaczew, he demonstrated bravery and heroism. Rushing in first out of the advance guard, he drove his vehicle at an enemy train, and, with support from tanks, destroyed it.

At night, another enemy train travelled by that railroad. Comrade Pakhomov, despite the poor visibility and swampy terrain, maneuvered and stealthily approached the train, which allowed the crew to destroy it. In offensive battle, comrade Pakhomov's tank frequently wedged itself into retreating enemy columns and caused panic.

Comrade Pakhomov's crew destroyed the following during offensive battles:
  • Locomotives with military trains: 2
  • Cars: 19
  • Carts: 29
  • Motorcycles: 2
  • Enemy soldiers and officers: up to 150
Comrade Pakhomov participated in 51 attacks, and drove his vehicle in battle for over 1500 kilometers.

For personal achievements in defense of the Socialist Motherland and numerous heroic acts, he is worthy of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

393th Guards SPG Demyansk Regiment commander, Guards Lieutenant-Colonel Merkulov"

CAMD RF 33-793756-36

It is not said which SU Pakhomov drove in these battles, but another award order for the same unit in January of 1945 reveals that it was equipped with SU-85s.

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